CHENNAI: Security cover at the city airport will be expanded two days prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Sunday afternoon. Though he will not be entering the city, but using it as a transit stop during his 20-hour visit to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, all security agencies will convene to provide expansive cover both outside and inside the airport.
Modi is scheduled to arrive at Chennai on June 29 at 3.55 pm and leave by helicopter to Sriharikota at 4 pm. After witnessing the launch of ISRO’s latest PSLV at SHAR, he will return at 11.35 am on June 30 and leave for Delhi by a special flight almost immediately.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said that a multi-agency meeting to decide on security protocols would be held immediately after Operation Hamla wraps up on Thursday evening. “From the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to the police to CISF security, all the agencies will be briefed on the checks and arrangements for the PM’s visit,” said a top official. Police sources at the airport said that most of the additional protection personnel roped in for Operation Hamla would be retained to ensure security cover on GST Road from Pallavaram to St. Thomas Mount, “He is not leaving the complex, but the bandobust and protection detail has been ordered from Saturday morning,” said a senior police official involved in the security of the Airport.
This is the first time that Modi is visiting the city after taking over as PM, though he has made at least three trips to the State in the run up to the Parliamentary polls, over the last year.
Meanwhile, City Police said that they would have a comprehensive review meeting as to how security should be enhanced in a foolproof manner on Friday.