Security beefed up for Prez visit today

Tribune News service

Shimla, May 19

Security has been beefed up for the five-day visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Shimla from May 20 to May 24.

Elaborate security and other arrangements have been made for his maiden visit as the President and security forces have been deployed in strength at all vulnerable locations, especially The Retreat, summer holiday resort of the President, the Kalyani helipad located closeby, Peterhoff, Dr YS Parmar University, Nauni (Solan), the Annandale helipad and the routes of the President’s carcade.

A strict watch is being kept on all suspicious persons and security has been beefed up at all entry points and, besides companies of the reserve police, security men in plain clothes have also been deployed. As many as 1,000 policemen have been deployed on various duties.

The President is likely to land at the Kalyani helipad at Chharabra near The Retreat. The option for the Annandale helipad has been kept open if there is a problem of landing due to inclement weather.

Three carcades have been positioned at Kalyani, Annandale and Nauni and rehearsals have been conducted to ensure foolproof arrangements, said DGP Sita Ram Mardi.

As per tentative schedule, the President will attend the seventh convocation of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali (Punjab), on May 20. Himachal Governor Acharya Devvrat will host a banquet in his honour on the same evening here, preceded by a cultural programme.

The President will deliver his address at the ninth convocation of the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry at Nauni (Solan) on May 21 and attend the civic reception hosted by the state government at Peterhoff, Shimla, on May 22.

The President will host a reception for dignitaries, including ministers, judges, civil and military officers, journalists and prominent citizens, and leave for Delhi on May 24.

When he was not allowed in The Retreat 

The Retreat, summer holiday resort of the President, is bracing for extending a warm welcome to the President, who was denied entry into the premises on the pretext that he did not have the permission when he came here last year on May 28 as the Governor of Bihar. Destiny took a turn and Kovind had little inkling that later he would be the President and would need no permission to visit The Retreat. 

Roads to avoid 

• The Shimla police asked residents not to park their vehicles on the road at Chharabra, Dhalli, Sanjauli, Boileauganj, Totu, and Jubbarhatti 
• The police further asked the locals to avoid driving on Chharabra, Sanjauli, Navbahar, Raj Bhawan roads and use alternative roads from 6 pm to 10 pm on Sunday and Sanjauli, Dhalli, Annadale, IIAS roads from 3.30 pm to 6:30 pm on May 22 to avoid inconvenience