Security tightened for President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Udupi
Udupi: Udupi and Kollur have been brought under a heavy security ring as President Pranab Mukherjee begins his day-long visit to the district on Sunday June 18.
Thousands of police personnel from across the district have been deployed for the President’s visit and several roads in the district would be blocked for his cavalcade to pass through.
Apart from the security personnel belonging to the National Security Gaurd (NSG), the state police too are involved in providing security at the Adi-Udupi, Kollur helipad and on the route the President is scheduled to travel.
President Pranab Mukherjee’s Special Aircraft will arrive at the Mangaluru International Airport on Sunday morning at 10:45 a.m after which he will board a chopper to reach Adi-Udupi helipad. From Adi-Udupi, President Mukherjee will pass by road to the Circuit House, after which he will visit the Sri Krishna Math at 12:00 p.m. Thereafter he will attend the foundation stone laying ceremony of B R Shetty’s Super Specialty hospital building.
Thereafter the President will return to the Circuit House for lunch. After lunch, the president will visit Sri Mookambika Temple at 4:15 pm. After visiting the temple the President will take a chopper to Mangaluru Airport from where he will fly back to New Delhi.
A mock drill was conducted on Saturday morning to check the safety measures that are in place. The route from the Helipad to Krishna Math will see a heavy presence of gunmen.
Since President Pranab Mukherjee is visiting the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple on Sunday, the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) has directed that all shops on Car Street, around Sri Krishna Math/Temple, near Vidyodaya Public School and the Inspection Bungalow to remain closed the entire day on June 17 and till 3:00 p.m. on June 18 taking into security considerations of VVIPs. Same like all shops on Car Street around Sri Mookambika Temple Kollur to remain closed the entire day on June 17 and till 3 p.m. on June 18. The Udupi Car street Road wear a deserted look.
Since the President’s entourage will use NH 66 to visit Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur after visiting the Sri Krishna Temple, the weekly market held close to the national highway at Kallianpur-Santhekatte on Sunday, has been cancelled.
The district administration has renovated the Circuit House for President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit. It has been renovated to a presidential suit spending over Rs 30 lakhs to furnish the rooms, interiors, Air-condition system etc, where President Mukherjee will spend just an hour on June 18.
As President Pranab Mukherjee is visiting Udupi and Kolluru on Sunday, the district police have made some traffic restrictions.
The police said that parking has been banned on both sides of the road during the visit of the president. The entire route from the helipad to Krishna Math and Circuit House would be a Zero Traffic zone, at the time of his arrival and return and during this period no one would be allowed to enter the roads. People will face some problems due to the restrictions imposed in view of the visit of President.