Varanasi, Jul 14 : Security has been stepped up and arrangements made at Varanasi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to his parliamentary constituency on Thursday during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 1500 crores. Close vigil will be kept during the about five hours stay of the PM. Top police officers held a meeting at the Police Lines to brief the security instructions to their subordinates so that watchful surveillance can be kept by land, water and air. Top Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including state co-incharge Sunil Ojha and regional president Mahesh Chandra Srivastava inspected all the arrangements at IIT-BHU grounds where Mr Modi will address a public meeting around 11 am. During their stay, the BJP leaders discussed the details with the senior administrative and police officers regarding the sitting and other plans. A selected number of people would be allowed in the meeting following all Covid-19 guidelines, officials here on Wednesday said. As Mr Modi is arriving here after several months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state government and district administration are leaving no stone unturned to show any laxity in making fool-proof security and best arrangements. In this connection, just a day ago Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself visited the city for the second time within a week to ensure perfect arrangements. Prior to him, the Chief Secretary and DGP had also come here to review the preparations. Meanwhile, in view of the arrival of the PM, rehearsal by the officers through motorcade has been made apart from the same of helicopters making its base at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University (SSU) grounds. The officers of Special Protection Force (SPG) have already arrived to ensure fool-proof security arrangements at all the places where the PM is scheduled to visit. Heavy police force including the personnel of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and para-military forces have already deployed at IIT-BHU grounds and Rudraksh. Besides, NDRF personnel will keep watch on all the activities at the river Ganga during the PM’s stay here. As per schedule, around 11 AM, the PM will inaugurate various public projects and works, including a 100 bed MCH wing in BHU, multi-level parking at Godowlia, Ro-Ro Vessels for tourism development on river Ganga and three-lane Railway Over Bridge (ROB) on the Varanasi-Ghazipur Highway near Ashapur through remote from IIT-BHU grounds.
In all, Mr Modi will inaugurate projects worth around Rs 744 crores and lay the foundation stones of several projects and public works worth around Rs 839 crores. These include the Centre for Skill and Technical Support of Central Institute of Petrochemical Engineering and Technology (CIPET), 143 rural projects under Jal Jeevan Mission and mango and vegetable integrated pack house in Karkhiyaon. Later, around 12.15 pm, the PM will inaugurate the International Cooperation and Convention Centre ? Rudrakash, which has been constructed with Japanese assistance. To attend the programme, the Japanese Ambassador in India Suzuki Satoshi, along with his wife and other Japanese delegates have already arrived in the city.
The project was initiated when Mr Modi along with his then Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe visited the city in 2015. Thereafter, at 2 PM, Mr Modi will inspect the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Wing at BHU where he will also meet with officials and medical professionals to review Covid preparedness.(UNI)
