City turns into a security fortress ahead of VIPs visit

Following the high voltage pubic rallies of Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on April 8 and 9, respectively, in view of the Lok Sabha elections, the city police have made elaborate security arrangements.

Modi will be addressing the meet on April 8 at 4 pm at the ground opposite Maharaja’s College, while Sonia Gandhi’s programme is scheduled at 5 pm. Around 50,000 workers from Mysore-Kodagu, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan constituencies are expected by both the parties.

A contingent of over 2,000 men in khaki are deployed on security duty meeting the security protocol of VVIP, Police Commissioner M A Saleem told Deccan Herald. The officer accompanied by various other top officials, inspected the security arrangements in place in separate sessions on Monday.

Apart from the city and district police forces, police personnel from neighbouring Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu and Hassan too have been roped in. Striking parties like Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), City and District Armed Reserve (DAR) police forces have also been deployed, the Commissioner added. Temporary helipads have been put in place at the Hockey Ground of the Sports Pavilion, adjacent to the programme venue. 

Traffic diversion

To ensure smooth flow of traffic, vehicles coming towards  the city from Nanjangud road should turn right after Kabini bridge towards Basavanpura, passing through Kempasiddanahundi, Hadinaru, Suttur, Varuna and T Narsipur road to reach Mysore.

 Another route from Nanjangud road to Mysore is via Kadakola, Sindhuvalli, Talur, Udbur and Manandavadi road. However, the alternative routes will be in place only one hour before the arrival of the VVIPs and after their departure from the city.

That apart, there are also restrictions on the parking arrangements, with parking of vehicles of all types prohibited on the following route - Mysore Airport, Mandakalli, Koodanahalli gate, Varuna bridge, Bandipalya, APMC, U ttanahalli road, Hotel Kamat junction, Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashram, JSS College junction, Truck terminal road, JSS Circle, Patashala Circle, Chamaraja double road, Chandrashekaraiah Petrol Bunk, Seethavilas Junction, Ramaswamy Circle, JLB road, MUDA circle, Radhakrishna Avenue, Kautilya Circle, Bogadi road and Kukkarahalli Lake Railway Gate, Ekalavya Circle to Archgate on Hunsur road, the release added.