Cuttack getting ready for Modi visit

The Special Protection Group (SPG) on Wednesday reviewed the arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city on Saturday. An SPG team led by AIG Sanjay Chouhan reviewed the preparations with the district administration, Commissionerate police and all the line departments, including the city civic body.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a public meeting at the Killa Padia here to highlight the achievements of the NDA Government at the Centre on its fourth anniversary on May 26. The Cuttack meeting is also tipped to be the launching of the BJP’s campaign for the 2019 general elections pushing the party’s ‘Look East’ strategy.

Political pundits are watching the Cuttack visit of Modi with keen interest as the party president Amit Shah had indicated that the BJP’s golden era would begin once it forms governments in Odisha and West

Bengal. In view of the Karnataka developments, where the party narrowly missed chance to regain power, Modi’s speech here will be important as he will spell out his achievements of four years in power.

Meanwhile, the State Government has also reviewed the arrangements, including that of the security for the Saturday’s public meeting. As per the communiqué received here from PMO, the Prime Minister will arrive at Bhubaneswar around 3.25 pm on Saturday and will travel to Cuttack by helicopter. From the helipad here at Naraj, the PM’s cavalcade will move towards the meeting place, which is eight km from the helipad.

Modi will stay at Cuttack for about one and a half hours. After addressing the public meeting, he will go back to Bhubaneswar and leave for New Delhi at 5.55 pm, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the State unit of the BJP here has made elaborate arrangements at the meeting place erecting a massive podium after performing Bhumi Puja. Local BJP leaders are expecting that over three lakh people will gather here to listen to Modi.