Kashi all set to welcome PM, Japanese envoy
VARANASI: All arrangements have been made to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ambassador of Japan to India Suzuki Satoshi and his team on their visit to the ancient city of Kashi on Thursday.
During the visit, the PM will inaugurate and lay the foundation of 134 developments projects worth around Rs 1,583 crore.
Tight security arrangements had been put in place in the entire Varanasi, said commissioner of police A Satish Ganesh. He held a briefing at the Reserve Police Lines here and informed cops about duty points.
Police had been instructed to be extra alert at their duty points, the CP said.
ADG Varanasi Zone Brij Bhushan also instructed the cops on security duty to remain alert and ensure that there was no lapse anywhere.
According to a senior police officer, five-tier security arrangements have been made at all the three venues, including IIT-BHU ground, Mother and Child Health Wing, BHU and VICCC Rudraksh.
Kashi region BJP president Mahesh Chandra Srivastava said the PM would inaugurate 68 development projects worth Rs 744 crore and lay the foundation of over 65 projects worth Rs 839 crore, besides addressing a public meeting on IIT-BHU ground during his visit to the temple city. These projects include the inauguration of Varanasi International Cooperation and Convention
Centre (VICCC) ‘Rudraksh’, operation of cruise boat from Rajghat to Assi Ghat, operation of RORO vessels in Ganga and installation of signages at all 84 ghats and others.
Srivastava said the Prime Minister would launch the developmental projects during a programme on the IIT-BHU ground. After that, he would address people present in the programme.
Thereafter, the PM will visit the VICCC and inaugurate it.
Ambassador of Japan to India, Suzuki Satoshi, his wife Chikaga Suzuki, counsellor Kiyose Kazuhiro, secretary Oda Akari and a three-member-team of Japan International Cooperation Agency, led by its chief representative Matsumoto Katsuo will attend the inaugural ceremony of the VICCC.
Special arrangements had been made to give a welcome to Suzuki Satoshi, added Srivastava.
The PM will interact with around 300 prominent people of Kashi in the auditorium of VICCC. After inaugurating the VICCC, the PM would go back to the BHU, where he would interact with a team of 25 doctors regarding preparations to deal with the possible third wave of Covid, added Srivastava.
In December 2015, the then Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had visited Varanasi, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Abe had gifted the VICCC project to the city. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had funded the construction of the VICCC, which cost around Rs 186 crore.