Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Puducherry on February 25. He will launch several development projects in Puducherry and address a public meeting in Puducherry ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections this summer.
HOLDAY FOR SCHOOLS
A holiday has been declared for all government and private schools in Puducherry on Thursday. Schools are to be closed on Feb 25 on account of PM Modi’s visit as related traffic/ law & order arrangements made for the visit may impact transport services in city, said a release by the Directorate of School Education.
TRAFFIC AND SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS
Security is tightened around the city especially on the ECR Road from Lawspet all the way to Jipmer .
No vehicles will be allowed on ECR Road from Maduvupet – Rajiv Gandhi Statue junction and Rajiv Gandhi Statue- Gorimedu for 1 hour before the PM arrives , according to a press release by Puducherry Police.
Vehicles entering Puducherry through ECR Road, Vazhuthavoor Road or Tindivanam By-Pass Road will be diverted by traffic police from their usual course to reach Bus Stand/ Town.
AGENDA FOR MODI’S PUDUCHERRY VISIT
Modi is scheduled to arrive in Pondicherry by 11 am at Lawspet Helipad and commute to JIPMER by road. After inaugurating various projects, he would address a public meeting at Lawspet helipad and leave Puducherry before 2 pm .
The Prime Minister will be laying the foundation stone for 4 projects and inaugurating 3 completed projects
He will inaugurate
- The Mairie . Modi will inaugurate the newly rebuilt Town Hall of Puducherry . The historic Mairie building collapsed in 2014
- Blood Centre, JIPMER .
- 100 bedded girls ‘ hostel at Lawspet for women athletes.
He will lay the foundation stone for
- Four laning of NH45A Villupuram- Nagapattinam highway that covers Karaikal. Cost: Rs. 2426 crore
- JIPMER Medical College Building, Karaikal- Phase I. Cost Rs. 491 crore
- Development of Minor Port in Puducherry under Sagarmala Scheme that will facilitate cargo transportation between Chennai and Pondicherry . Cost : Rs. 44 crore
- New Synthetic Athletic Track at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Puducherry. Cost : Rs. 7 crore
The Puducherry BJP unit has been carrying out extensive preparations for Modi ‘s visit to Puducherry. On Wednesday they released a video anthem welcoming Modi to Puducherry which will also be used as a campaign song here.
In 2018 , Modi visited Puducherry when he attended the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Auroville and also addressed a public meeting here.
POLITICAL CRISIS IN PUDUCHERRY
Modi’s Puducherry visit comes on the heels of a politically dramatic week for Puducherry.
To recap, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao sent in his resignation as MLA last Monday (February 15 ); MLA John Kumar quit on Tuesday not long before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Puducherry on Wednesday. Meanwhile Kiran Bedi was removed as the Lt Governor of Puducherry on Tuesday and Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan was sworn into office as the new Lt Governor of Puducherry (additional charge) on Thursday. Two more MLAs Lakshminarayanan (Raj Bhavan ) and Venkatesan (Thattanchavady) resigned on Sunday. Chief Minister Narayanasamy who had to prove his government’s majority walked out of the Legislative Assembly this Monday and later submitted his resignation.
As no other party has staked claim to form government, the Cabinet has approved President’s rule in Puducherry on Wednesday, based on the recommendation from the Lt Governor. After the President’s approval, the 14th Assembly will be dissolved and Puducherry will be under President’s Rule till the next election
ALSO READ: Who is Tamilisai Soundararajan, new Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry ?
This article has been updated on February 24
PHOTO :MODI VISITED AUROVILLE & PUDUCHERRY IN 2018: @narendramodi
