Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Khoda Patel will begin his week-long visit to the islands on Monday, even as protests against his proposed reforms are expected to increase across the Union Territory, PTI reported.

Save Lakshadweep Forum, a platform of various political parties opposing the draft regulations moved by Patel, said they will observe a “black day” by wearing black masks and raising black flags at their homes during the administrator’s visit, which is scheduled to conclude on June 20.

A slew of regulations introduced by Patel has triggered a massive outcry among the residents of the Union Territory as well as Opposition parties. The new regulations include a proposed cow slaughter ban, a preventive detention law in the Union Territory, which has one of the lowest crime rates in the country, and a draft law proposing sweeping changes in land development regulations.

“If he invites us for a discussion, our representatives will meet him,” one of the forum leaders told PTI. “Repeal of the proposed regulations is our major demand. If he accepts our demand, we will cooperate with the administration.”

The police carried out a march in Lakshadweep’s capital Kavaratti on Sunday night ahead of Patel’s visit, The Hindu reported.

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, reports suggested that Patel changed his plan of flying to Lakshadweep via Kochi to avoid Congress MPs waiting to meet him at the airport in the Kerala city. Instead, he chose to fly from Daman and Diu.

Patel, who is also the administrator of Daman and Diu, stays mostly in the Union Territory adjoining Gujarat.

“We had information that Patel would land here [Kochi] on a special flight and take a scheduled Air India flight to the island [Lakshadweep],” Congress MP Hibi Eden told IANS. “But we found out that he is not landing here and flying from Daman and Diu.”

During his visit, Patel is expected to review the eco-tourism projects in the islands, PTI reported. He is also expected to visit the proposed site for a sea facing hospital in Kavaratti and review the smart city project there.