As Pratibha Patil arrives in the city today, WE will have to bear with traffic jams, blocked roads and stringent security to ensure a smooth ride for her cavalcade
As Pratibha Patil arrives in the city today, WE will have to bear with traffic jams, blocked roads and stringent security to ensure a smooth ride for her cavalcade
If you're planning to take your car on the streets this weekend, think again. President Pratibha Patil is on her tenth visit to the city to inaugurate the Global Vipassana Pagoda at Gorai. And, as always, we, will have to bear with traffic snarls, cordoned roads and security checks to ensure a smooth ride for our President. Pratibha Patil arrives in the city today around 12 pm and the police are already on their toes.
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The President's drive from the airport to Raj Bhavan is expected to put additional pressure on all police stations on the route. Security around her cavalcade has been tightened in the wake of the 26/11 terror attacks.
Know her schedule
>>President Pratibha Patil lands in the city around noon today
>>She will head to Raj Bhavan from the airport, resulting in traffic jams along the Western Express Highway, Cadel Road, Haji Ali and Peddar Road
>>She will also visit the SNDT University at Marine Lines in the evening. The police expect traffic to move at a snail's pace near Churchgate after 2 pm
>>She will inaugurate the Global Pagoda in Gorai at 10.40 am tomorrow and is likely cause inconvenience to motorists since she will travel by road
>>She returns to New Delhi on Monday at 9.30 am
President visits city, we suffer
Additional security has been deployed at Raj Bhavan to foil any seaborne attack.
The police are bracing for the worst scenario when the President drives from Raj Bhavan to Gorai, a 55-km stretch, to inaugurate Asia's largest Pagoda. Apart from the problems it will create for motorists, the police are also expecting a huge demonstration by environmentalists, who allege that the Pagoda is illegal and has violated Coastal Regulation Zone rules. Unlike Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who flew in a chopper to inaugurate two flyovers in the city, the President has opted to take the road, causing further security and traffic problems.
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Last time around
The police have already upgraded their anti-riot measures to ensure the President does not have to face ugly scenes during her journey.
Residents of Worli had protested in front of her cavalcade during her visit to the city last month. The residents were annoyed after they were not allowed to cross Dr Annie Besant Road near Worli Naka for more than an hour.
Seething with anger, the locals broke the security cordon and headed home. "How long do they expect pedestrians and motorists to wait till the President's convoy passes? We can understand a waiting period of 10 to 15 minutes. But waiting for more than an hour is ridiculous," said Ashok Waigankar, a Worli resident.
Tight security
>>900 policemen deployed on the route where the President's cavalcade will pass
>>A policeman every 20 metres on either side of the road
>>Sniffer dogs will check the area and look for explosives
>>Special Branch officers along with Intelligence Bureau and Special Protection Group commandos carry out a survey of the area to ensure the place is safe from snipers
>>Road sanitised an hour before the cavalcade is expected to pass. It is codenamed Alpha or Alphi 1
>>Hotel rooms across the city are checked for suspicious people
>>Doctors and ambulances are part of the convoy in case of an emergency
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