Security at the Biju Patnaik Airport here has been toned up in view of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Odisha on Tuesday.
As many as ten private security personnel, who arrived here on Monday, took stock of the security arrangements at the airport along with BJP national general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan and party State president KV Singh Deo. Modi, who enjoys a Z-plus security cover, will now have the extra security of the CISF and State police, airport officials said.
Though the deployment of the exact number of security persons at the airport has not been disclosed to the media due to security concerns, officials, however, stated that special attention would be given to Modi, who has recently been appointed as the BJP Election Campaign Committee chairman for the 2014 polls.
“Since Modi is a Z plus category protectee, we have made all security arrangements at the airport for his visit. We’ll also see to it that the arrival and departure of Modi should not create inconvenience to the passengers,” Airport Director Sharad Kumar said.
Similarly, security has also been beefed up at the Shree Jagannath Temple and Gundicha Temple at Puri where Modi is scheduled to seek blessings of the deities. Modi will also meet Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb and Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati during his visit.
Modi’s proposed meeting with the Puri seer and Gajapati, too, is important as the duo are considered major Hindu religious figures.
According to his itinerary, released by State BJP leaders, Modi would arrive at the Biju Patnaik Airport by a chartered flight at 9.15 am and depart at 4:45 pm. He would spend around 90 minutes at the Gundicha Temple and Shree Mandir and have Darshan of lord Jagannath and his siblings at the Gundicha Temple and Goddesses lakshmi and Bimala at the Shree Mandir.
Modi is also scheduled to address a gathering of about 250 State BJP leaders at the Puri Mayfair Hotel before leaving the pilgrim town at 3:30 pm.