Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar: Security at the Biju Patnaik airport here has been toned up on Monday on the eve of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s State visit. As many as ten private security personnel who arrived here today, took a stock of security arrangements at the airport along with BJP general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan and party state unit president KV Singhdeo.
 
Modi, who enjoys a Z plus security cover, will now have the extra security of CISF and State police, airport officials said.
 
Though the deployment of exact number of security persons at the airport have not been disclosed to the media due to security concerns,  officials however stated that special attention would be given to chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s Gujarat counterpart who has recently been appointed as the BJP Election Campaign Committee Chairman for 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 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 Sri Jagannath temple and Gundicha temple where Modi is scheduled to visit and seek blessings of the Trinity. The Gujarat CM will also meet Puri Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingh Dev and Sankaracharya 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 the itinerary, released by state BJP leaders, Modi will 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 in Gundicha Temple and Sri Mandir and have 'darshan' of Lord Jagannath at Gundicha Temple and Goddess Laxmi and 'Maa Bimala' at Sri Mandir.
 
Modi is also scheduled to address a gathering of about 250 party workers at Puri before leaving the pilgrim town at 3:30 pm.
 
scrollToTop