Last-minute preparations underway for PM's 2-day visit to Assam

Guwahati, Dec 19 (PTI) Last-minute preparations were underway for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Assam from Saturday, during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation for several projects and address public meetings.

Modi is expected to land at Guwahati airport around 2.30 pm, following which he will unveil an 80-feet statue of Assam's first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi, outside the new terminal named after him, as per the itinerary.

He will also inaugurate the Rs 4,000 crore new terminal and spend around 15 minutes inside.

"Excitement at its peak! LGBI Airport's Integrated Terminal is all decked up to welcome Adarniya @narendramodi ji tomorrow! Just a few hours to go!" Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X.

The prime minister will also address a public meeting outside the terminal building.

After the meeting, Modi will proceed on a road show towards the BJP headquarters in Bashista area where he will interact with party workers.

Sarma claimed that this is the first time that a prime minister will visit a BJP office in the state and it is a historic occasion for the party.

Modi will spend the night at the state guest house in Koinadhora in Khanapara area.

On Sunday morning, the prime minister will interact with 25 meritorious students of different schools in 'Pariksha pe Charcha' programme for around half an hour while sailing on the River Brahmaputra aboard cruise ship 'Charaideo'.

After the cruise, Modi will visit the newly constructed 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra', constructed in the memory of 860 'martyrs' of the Assam movement against illegal infiltrators, and offer his tributes before the lamp which always remains lit.

The PM will also visit the martyrs' gallery, where the busts of the 860 people who lost their lives in the movement have been erected, and garland the statue of the first deceased, Khargeswar Talukdar.

He will then leave for Dibrugarh and from there to Namrup where he will conduct 'Bhumi Pujan' of the Rs 12,000 crore ammonia-urea fertiliser plant.

The PM will also address a public meeting at Namrup before leaving for New Delhi.

Chief Secretary Ravi Kota chaired a high-level preparatory meeting on Thursday evening to review arrangements for the PM's visit with senior officers of the state government and representatives of stakeholder departments concerned.

"Reviewed preparations related to security, traffic and crowd management, parking, venue readiness, medical and emergency services, power and communication backup, sanitation, and inter-departmental coordination, including arrangements at arrival points, terminal access gates, ceremonial areas, and movement corridors," the chief secretary posted on X.

Kota directed all departments and agencies concerned to ensure seamless coordination and timely execution of the approved programme. PTI DG DG ACD