Mammoth security apparatus in place for Modi's Mysuru visit

SPG commandos take over event venues; 3K policemen on duty

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements, with just a day left for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival on a two-day visit to the city on Saturday.

The City police have made elaborate security arrangements, beginning from Mysore Airport at Mandakalli and at three different venues where the prime minister is scheduled to attend programmes.

It is Modi’s maiden visit to the city after becoming prime minister. Modi had last visited the city to campaign for parliamentary elections, at a public meeting organised at the ground opposite the Maharaja’s College.

Police Commissioner B Dayananda told media on Friday that elaborate security arrangements had been made in line with the VIP security protocol.

According to sources, 2,000 to 3,000 personnel have been roped in, including policemen from Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Hassan, Bidar, Belagavi, Haveri, Gadag and other districts.

The special protection group (SPG) personnel elite commandos on prime minister’s security have already taken over the programme venues like Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashram, ground opposite Maharaja’s College, amphitheatre (open air theatre) at Manasagangotri and Hotel Lalitha Mahal Palace where he will stay overnight on January 2. Governor Vajubhai R Vala will stay at Government Guest House.

On his arrival at the airport at around 5 pm on Saturday, the prime minister will leave for the Ashram by road. A programme has been organised at Universal Prayer Hall in the ashram where he will unveil the plaque of the newly built hospital, located adjacent to the ashram.

The entry to the venue is restricted to 250 invitees, while those below 18 years of age are strictly prohibited from entering the ashram at that time.

Similar are the arrangements at the ground opposite Maharaja’s College, where the prime minister will attend the birth centenary celebrations of previous pontiff of Suttur Mutt Shivaratri Rajendra Swami. Seating arrangements have been made for 35,000 to 40,000 people. The entry is strictly through invitation.

 The prime minister will declare open the 103rd Indian Science Congress at 10 am on January 3 at the amphitheatre, the last programme on his itinerary.

On Friday, the City traffic police conducted a rehearsal of vehicles in the convoy of the prime minister on the routes through which it will pass.

Bomb disposal squads
Bomb disposal and detection squads from Bengaluru and New Delhi have arrived in the city, ahead of Modi’s visit.

While the State squads are tasked with anti-sabotage checks on the convoy route and other places, the elite squads from the Centre will take care of the programme venues.

Other schedules
The prime minister will lay the foundation stone for a new helicopter manufacturing unit at Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru on Sunday. Modi will also inaugurate the 21st international conference on frontiers in yoga research and its applications at Jigani in Bengaluru.