Security beefed up ahead of PM’s visit to Rameswaram

A multi-layered security blanket has been thrown over the Island town of Rameswaram ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi on July 27. Mr Modi, on that day, will inaugurate “Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam National Memorial,” built by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Pei Karumbu, the burial site of former Rashtrapati in Rameswaram, coinciding with his second death anniversary.

The Prime Minister would hoist the National flag in front of the memorial before inaugurating it and look at the paintings and photos of Dr.Kalam displayed in it. Besides, he will flag off Rameswaram-Ayodhya weekly express train – the first direct train service from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to a town in South India. The Prime Minister would also flag off “Kalam Sandesh Vahini,” a bus from Rameswaram to Rashtrapathi Bhavan, carrying the scientific inventions and books authored by Dr.Kalam.

The bus would begin its journey from Rameswaram and wind up at the Rashtrapati Bhavan after crossing and halting at various towns enroute. He is also slated to release the synopsis of “Green Resilient Rameswaram,” a project of Vivekananda Kendra to make Rameswaram an environment friendly and green island at a total cost of Rs 24.02 crore. Later, he will distribute sanction letters to fishermen beneficiaries under the blue revolution scheme and address a public meeting. The Prime Minister is expected to reach Madurai Airport from New Delhi on July 27th morning by an IAF aircraft.

He will be received by Tamil Nadu Governor Ch.Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami among senior Union and state ministers. Then he will reach Mandapam in Ramanathapuram by a helicopter. After completing the programmes, the Prime Minister will leave for New Delhi. Intelligence sources said security along the coast off Rameswaram has been tightened in view of Mr.Modi’s visit.

Considering the Rameswaram’s proximity to Sri Lanka, the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have activated all defence assets situated along the South eastern coast. Besides the air and sea surveillance, additional naval patrol vessels have been deployed along the Palk Bay, the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. An advance team of the Special Protection Group (SPG) was camping in Rameswaram to make foolproof security arrangements. The SPG commandos have also taken over the security at function venues.