Preparations in full swing for PM Modi's Varanasi visit; to flag off 4 Vande Bharat trains

Elaborate security and administrative arrangements have been made in Varanasi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency beginning Friday evening.

During this visit, he will flag off four new Vande Bharat Express trains connecting key cities across the country.

According to officials, the prime minister will arrive at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur around 5 pm on Friday, from where he will travel by road to Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), where he will stay overnight.

On Saturday morning, at around 8.15 am, Modi will flag off four Vande Bharat Express trains from the Banaras railway station. These new semi-high-speed trains will operate on the following routes:

1) Banaras–Khajuraho

2) Lucknow–Saharanpur

3) Firozpur–Delhi

4) Ernakulam–Bengaluru

The Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat will connect prominent cultural and religious destinations, including Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Chitrakoot, officials said. After the flagging-off ceremony, Modi will travel by helicopter to Babatpur Airport and depart for Darbhanga, Bihar, around 9.15 am.

Meanwhile, the city has been adorned to welcome the prime minister. According to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries, arrangements have been made for his grand reception at several locations along his route, including Sant Atulanand Bypass, near JP Mehta, the BLW FCI godown, and near the BLW gate.

Commissioner of Police Mohit Agarwal said a three-tier security system has been put in place for the prime minister's visit. The entire route has been declared a 'no-flying zone', and CCTV surveillance and drone monitoring will ensure real-time vigilance.

All police personnel deployed on duty have been instructed to carry their identity cards at all times. No vehicles will be allowed to halt on the prime minister's route, and rooftop security deployment has also been made. Entry at the venue will be permitted only after thorough security checks.

Separate arrangements have been made for the frisking of women by women police officers, and officials on duty have been directed to carry loudspeakers and public address systems to manage the crowd efficiently.