As political heat rises, Modi to land in Chennai today

Amid threats from political parties, including the DMK, MDMK and other fringe groups, the city police have chalked out an elaborate plan to provide security to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be in the city on Thursday to inaugurate the DefExpo 2018 in Thiruvidanthai, and the diamond jubilee building for the Cancer Institute at Adyar.

A senior police officer said, “We have made elaborate arrangements and have mobilised the entire police force for the purpose. This will be in addition to the Special Protection Group, which provides proximate security to the Prime Minister.”

Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan held a review meeting with officers of the city police and the SPG.

Senior police officers, including the Additional Commissioners of Police and Joint Commissioners, have been given relevant instructions and also sector-wise assignments.

Mr. Modi will fly on a special aircraft from New Delhi and is likely to reach the Chennai airport at 9.25 a.m. From the airport, the Prime Minister will go by helicopter and land in a helipad at Mamallapuram. From there, he will reach the venue of the expo by road.

Wall brought down

After finishing the programme, he will head to IIT-Madras, where authorities have made special arrangements for the landing of his helicopter on a cricket ground.

From there, he will reach the Cancer Institute, located in the adjacent compound, by car. To facilitate this, authorities brought down a portion of a wall and created a new route. The wall will be rebuilt after the visit.

Sources said the Prime Minister is not using the road anywhere in the city owing to security reasons. Again, he will take the helicopter to the airport. Another senior police officer said, “We have tightened security around the airport, and the helipads at the IIT and Mamallapuram. Armed police personnel and city police have been deployed.”

A significant posse of police personnel have been deployed on the coastal area following intelligence inputs that fringe groups might try to infiltrate from the sea to wave black flags.

The city police will effect traffic diversions to be implemented on Thursday, from 11 a.m. till 2.30 p.m.

The vehicles coming from Chennai airport towards Adyar cannot take the right turn at Little Mount junction. Instead, the vehicles will take the left turn at the junction and go to Saidapet and take right at the Nandanam junction and go straight to Chamiers Road and Thiru. Vi. Ka bridge and then proceed to Adyar.

The vehicles coming from Adyar towards the airport will not be allowed to go straight at Madhya Kailash. Instead, they will have to take a left turn at the Madhya Kailash junction, then take a right at SRP Tools via TIDEL Park and go straight to Velachery.

From there, they can take a right to Velachery Bypass road, reach MKN bridge and take a left to reach Kathipara bridge to proceed to the airport.

Vehicles are not allowed to go straight via Mooppanar Bridge towards Gandhi Mandapam.

Instead, those going towards Adyar will proceed to Chamiers Road and reach their destination.