The stage is all set to give a grand reception to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday in the Capital. This will be his first public tubthumping in Delhi after his anointment as Prime Minister probable of BJP.
At the convention, Delhi BJP will formally launch its campaign for Delhi Assembly polls in November. More than five lakh adherents are expected to attend the rally, including emissaries from 36 countries.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in and around the rally venue. The BJP leader will reach Japanese Park in a whirlybird at 11 am. Delhi Metro has also made special arrangements for attendees. Apart from pressing extra feeder buses into service, frequency of trains on Rithala line will be increased to three minutes. Over 50,000 supporters are expected to use the Metro service on Sunday to turn up at the rally.
A lavish shamiana, three stages, lED screens, a vanity van for senior BJP leaders and line array sound systems have been mounted. One of the highlights at the venue will be a 100 feet high cutout of Modi. The BJP leaders with hundreds of partymen were present at the venue on Saturday, including former Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta, in-charge of the Sunday meet.
“The entry to the venue will be restricted for security reasons and the gate to the park will open on Sunday morning before 9 am. Modi is expected to reach the grounds around 11 am. More than five lakh people will attend the rally. All BJP leaders and workers are keyed up since it is going to be a historic rally,” Gupta averred.
“On Sundays, Delhi Metro does not operate its full fleet due to fewer footfall but today all 26 rakes on the Red line will be serviceable,” said Gupta after meeting DMRC managing director Mangu Singh. Confirming this, a DMRC official added, “We are taking all necessary steps to control the rising tide of attendees.” Singh further said, “For the first time, DMRC will be issuing return tickets to people in groups to prevent long queues at ticket counters. Group return tickets can be bought at any Station. In addition to this, extra feeder buses will ply between Rohini West Metro Station and Japanese Park, where the rally is scheduled to take place.”
Meanwhile, Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) on Saturday issued an advisory recommending all participants to the rally avoid private vehicles and use Delhi Metro Rail instead to reach the venue. “Due to the rally, congestion is expected on the route of the rally and in Outer District from 8.00 am, mostly from Mukarba Chowk to Peera Garhi Chowk on Outer Ring Road, from Wazirpur Depot to Rithala Metro Station, Badli Village via Bhagwan Mahavir Marg and from Punjabi Bagh Chowk to Azadpur. To ease traffic gridlock, goods vehicles would be diverted at Shahbad Dairy, Peera Garhi Chowk, Wazirpur Bus Depot and Mukarba Chowk,” stated the advisory.
“No vehicle will be allowed to park on arterial roads in and around the venue of the rally. Heavy penalty will be slapped on lawbreakers. No buses are allowed to be halted and/or parked on peripheral roads near the venue,” said a senior traffic police official.