CUTTACK: Commissionerate Police, led by DGP Dr RP Sharma, reviewed security arrangements and preparations ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Cuttack on Saturday. Modi will be addressing a gathering at Killa Maidan here to place his Government’s report card before public on completion of four years of his Government.
As the Prime Minister will fly to the venue in a helicopter, a mock drill was conducted by Indian Air Force at the makeshift helipad constructed near Naraj. The administration has set up barricades on both sides of the road from Naraj to Killa Maidan and to Circuit House near Matamatha on the Ring Road for the movement of the Prime Minister.As many as 100 platoons of police force, 80 in Cuttack and 20 in Bhubaneswar, have been deployed as a part of the security arrangements. A dog squad and bomb squad have conducted a thorough check of the venue.
For smooth movement of public to the venue ground, as many as 12 entrances and special gates for women have been set up. Commissionerate Police also made special arrangements for traffic management by imposing restrictions and diversions on certain routes to prevent road congestion.
Speaking to mediapersons Sharma said, “We have made adequate security arrangements at the Helipad, on the route, small routes between Helipad and meeting venue and at the meeting ground.”
Crowd regulation and management has also been taken care of. Proper parking arrangements have been made near the venue, adequate police officers have been deployed to supervise different security arrangements during the meeting, he added.
Meanwhile, a seven-member team of Special Protection Group which is in the city from Wednesday to make preparations ahead of the premier’s visit, reviewed arrangements at the venue with police officers and officials of all other related departments, including Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and took stock of security arrangements.