From Saurav Borah
TURA: A reconnaissance operation was conducted here on Thursday afternoon to ensure foolproof security arrangements on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to Tura.
According to sources, the recce was conducted by the Prime Minister’s security teams on vehicles (SUVs) along the stretch from Alotgre cricket stadium (Old Tura Stadium) to the Tura helipad at Dobasipara.
The Prime Minister will be addressing a public meeting as the star campaigner for BJP here on Friday afternoon, just a couple of days ahead of the Meghalaya Assembly elections on February 27.
Official sources here informed that the Prime Minister would be landing on a helipad here by 2.45 pm before addressing the public rally, and subsequently departing the town by 3.45 pm.
Meanwhile, traffic along the 6.5 km stretch came to a standstill for some time as the Prime Minister’s security team conducted the recce on Thursday evening.
Following the security drill, slow traffic movement was noticed from New Tura and Arai Mile en route to Hawakhana and Tura Bazar during 4pm to 5pm.
When contacted, West Garo Hills superintendent of police Vivekananda Singh Rathore said all arrangements have been made by the district and police administration for smooth conduct of the Prime Minister’s rally.
“Preparations, both in regard to security and traffic arrangements, have been made in accordance with the security protocols and requirements for the PM’s rally tomorrow, which will be addressed between 3pm to 4pm,” Rathore said.
Already, teams from the Special Protection Group (SPG) have come here and conducted security drills in accordance with the laid-down protocols ahead of the PM’s visit.
The civil authorities here had approved Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election campaign rally at the cricket stadium which was recently taken over by the BCCI.
The state’s sports directorate, earlier on Saturday, had rejected BJP’s first choice of venue for the rally – PA Sangma Sports Complex Stadium at Dakopgre – following which an alternative venue was selected.
