US President Barack Obama will visit Agra to have a glimpse of the Taj Mahal on January 27. Senior Superintendent of Police in Agra, Rajesh D Rao confirmed the visit of the US President and his family members on January 27. “The authorities along with the US security personnel are holding meetings to finalise the programme,” he said. During the meeting, several decisions were taken including the closure of all roads leading to the Taj Mahal on the day.
Agra Divisional Commissioner, Pradeep Bhatnagar also confirmed the visit of Obama but refused to disclose the details. He said for security reasons the details could not be disclosed to the media. Meanwhile, ahead of Obama’s proposed visit to Agra, American team hold talks on security-related aspects with the district and police authorities on Monday.
Earlier, there were speculations whether the US president would visit Agra or not during his busy schedule at New Delhi. Meanwhile, ahead of Obama’s proposed visit to Agra, an advance American team hold talks on agenda and security-related aspects with the district and police authorities on Monday. The district officials here maintained that the Americans have proposed three-tier security rings apart from their own Secret Service cover for Obama and closure of business establishments near the sites of visit.
American Secret Service personnel, who have landed in Agra, have already conducted a preliminary survey of the routes to be taken by the US President to the Taj Mahal. A multiple-layer security ring will be thrown around Mr Obama with elite Special Protection Group and Secret Services personnel forming a part of the Close Proximity ring, official sources said, adding a radar has been exclusively kept for monitoring air space. last month a 40-member team had visited Agra to chalkout the initial programme of the US President. According to the schedule, the US president is scheduled to visit Agra on January 27 for just an hour in which he will spend around 20 minutes inside the Taj.