Security beefed up ahead of PM's Jharkhand visit today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay obeisance at Baba Baidyanath Dham Temple. He will also lay foundation stones for various development initiatives and take part in an 11.5-km-long road show.

Ranchi: Elaborate arrangments have been made for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Tuesday visit to Jharkhand's Deoghar district, where he is scheduled to inaugurate multiple projects, including an airport, officials said. Modi will also lay foundation stones for various development initiatives and take part in an 11.5-km-long road show, a senior police officer said, adding that security has been tightened in the district.

The prime minister, during the visit, will pay obeisance at Baba Baidyanath Dham Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the officer stated. Over one lakh earthen lamps were lit by BJP workers and locals across the district on Monday evening welcoming the PM, the saffron party's Jharkhand Twitter handle said.

In a series of tweets, Modi shared details of his itinerary. "Will have the fortune of 'darshan' and worship at Baba Baidyanath Temple at the holy city of Deoghar just before the beginning of Shravan. On July 12, will get the opportunity of inaugurating the airport. This will make the journey for devotees easier and boost tourism in Jharkhand (sic), he wrote.

"Baidyanath Dham Deoghar is one of the most sacred sites for us. It draws people from all over the world. During the programme tomorrow, some components of the development project at the Temple will be inaugurated which would boost spiritual tourism," he added.

An official release maintained that the prime minister will lay foundation and inaugurate projects worth Rs 16,000 crore in Jharkhand. The 657-acre airport, which will be dedicated to the people of the region on the occasion, has been built at a cost of Rs 401 crore. Low-cost carrier IndiGo had last week announced that it would launch the Kolkata-Deoghar flight service on July 12.

Modi had laid the foundation stone of Deoghar airport on May 25, 2018 along with that of AIIMS Deoghar. Talking about the super-speciality hospital, he said, "In line with our commitment to providing top quality healthcare services, In-Patient Department and operation theatre services at AIIMS, Deoghar will be inaugurated."

In yet another tweet, the PM said, "At the programme in Deoghar tomorrow, many road, rail and infra works will also be launched or their foundation stones would be laid. These works will enhance commerce and connectivity. The local economy will also get a boost due to these works."

Enthusiasm was palpable among BJP workers on Monday over the PM's programme, with some of the saffron party leaders, including Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey, calling the 11.5-km-long road show a historic event. Posters and banners welcoming the PM have been put up in several parts of Deoghar.

According to the senior police officer, lakhs of people are expected to witness or take part in the road show on Tuesday, and measures are being taken in the region to ensure that the programme passes off smoothly. Drones will be deployed to monitor the entire road show, the officer stated.

Deputy Commissioner, Deoghar, Majunath Bhajantri,urged devotees to visit the Baidyanath Dham only after 3.30 pm on Tuesday to avoid any inconvenience caused due to the security arrangements. He also said that people from far and wide had been arriving in Deoghar to participate in the Shravani mela, which is set to commence on July 14, and arrangements have been made for their safety, too.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren had on Sunday held a high-level meeting with senior officials and police officers to take stock of the preparations and security arrangements ahead of the PM's visit. (PTI)