Media Release

Udupi, Aug 16: In a major boost to rural connectivity and passenger convenience, Adani Power Limited – Udupi thermal power plant, through its CSR arm, Adani Foundation, has completed the concreting of a 416-metre stretch of road connecting Paniyuru to Padubidri Railway Station in Belapu Village. The Rs 20 lac project was formally inaugurated on Saturday in a ceremony attended by community leaders, Panchayat members, and local residents.

The road was jointly unveiled by Kishore Alva, executive director & president of Adani Group, and Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, president of Belapu Grama Panchayat. On the occasion, a Bhoomi Puja was also performed for the proposed extension of the road by an additional 580 meters up to the railway station, with a further Rs 20 lac earmarked for this second phase.

Speaking at the event, Alva emphasised that the road was not merely a connectivity project, but a response to a long-pending public demand. He said the Padubidri Railway Station is an important gateway for this region. "The Belapu Grama Panchayat approached us with a request to improve the road, recognising its role in easing passenger movement. We acted promptly, completing the first 400 plus meters, and will finish the remaining stretch within this financial year," he said.

Alva expressed pride in Belapu’s transformation into a model village, home to a government polytechnic college, thriving industrial units, and upcoming agricultural university, developments that are steadily increasing railway passenger numbers.

Reiterating Adani’s commitment to holistic rural growth, Alva noted that the company undertakes education, healthcare, infrastructure, sports, and cultural projects across seven Grama Panchayats near its thermal power plant. Belapu Grama Panchayat alone has benefitted from infrastructure development works worth nearly Rs. 2 crores, in addition to the ongoing social development works in the field of education and health initiatives in Panchayat, he stated.

Dr Devi Prasad Shetty hailed the project as a turning point for local mobility. He said that the only road to the railway station had been in deplorable condition for years, making travel difficult. Despite repeated appeals to railway authorities, no action was taken. The Adani Foundation stepped in where others could not, ensuring this critical infrastructure became a reality.

Dr Shetty also noted the Panchayat’s push for train stoppages for Mumbai- and Bengaluru-bound services at Padubidri Railway Station, citing rising passenger volumes. He further informed that Panchayat has taken initiative to install CCTV cameras on this road to arrest dumping of unauthorised waste.

The inauguration was attended by Shobha Bhat, vice president of Belapu GP; members Sharath Kumar, Sulaiman, Nafeesa; former GP member Karunakara Shetty; former Taluk Panchayat vice president U Shekhabba; Ravi R Jere, associate general manager, APL; Anudeep, Adani Foundation; along with the local residents.

The event concluded with community members expressing appreciation for Adani Foundation’s responsiveness, efficient project execution, and its consistent role in transforming local infrastructure year after year.