ROURKELA: Preparations are in the final stage for President Droupadi Murmu’s first visit to Rourkela on Tuesday, with the Sundargarh district administration leaving nothing to chance.
Rourkela police has made detailed plans for multi-layered security cover for the venue at Sector 13 and the convoy routes of the President. Additional DGP Sanjeeb Panda visited Rourkela on Friday and reviewed the security arrangement with DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai, Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani and other senior officers.
President Murmu will arrive at Rourkela and will visit the venue in Sector 13 near the airport at around 11.05 am. She will then inaugurate the Rourkela One Project at Civil Township near Hockey square, which comprises the Integrated Command and Control Centre, tribal museum and auditorium.
From there, the President will virtually inaugurate the mega recreational park at Koel Nagar and science park and planetarium at Chhend Colony. She will then have lunch at the Panposh circuit house, following which she will meet representatives of various organisations and leave Rourkela at around 4.05 pm.
Sundargarh collector Subhankar Mohapatra said elaborate security arrangements have been made in strict adherence to the Blue Book protocol. About 50 platoons of police force would be deployed. He said the venue at Sector 13 has around 15,000 to 20,000 seating capacity. He said about 2,500 school and college students would participate in the cultural programme, while around 10,000 students would attend the programme.
The collector said to prevent heat stroke-related incidents, adequate air conditioners, coolers, drinking water kiosks and other necessary provisions would be set up at the venue.
Meanwhile, the city is being beautified, with roads through which the President’s convoy is scheduled to pass getting fresh black-topping. Boundary walls of government buildings are also getting repainted.
Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member Kalpana Lenka said in view of the scorching heat, members of various institutes along with parents and school authorities had raised concerns about the safety of children during the event. The collector has assured that an air-conditioned, secure space would be provided for performing students, while adequate air coolers would be arranged for others.