Security at highway leading to Ayodhya beefed up

Deployment comes amid VVIP movement on the stretch ahead of January 22 consecration ceremony; from Saturday, around 700 VIPs and 200 state guests expected to arrive in Lucknow

LUCKNOW Security arrangements at NH27, also known as Ayodhya highway, were beefed up on Friday with hundreds of armed police personnel deployed here beginning from the Polytechnic crossing in Lucknow.

Policemen deployed on the route to Ayodhya have been advised to be cordial with devotees. (Pic for representation)

The deployment came amid VVIP movement on the stretch ahead of January 22 consecration ceremony. “Faizabad road is demarcated as the main route to Ayodhya, in addition to other two routes, including Sultanpur Road via Purvanchal Expressway or Kisan Path,” said Upendra Kumar Agarwal, joint commissioner of police (law & order).

700 VIPs, 200 STATE GUESTS

From Saturday, around 700 VIPs and 200 state guests are expected to arrive in Lucknow, and then reach Ayodhya, said a senior officer.

“These include Olympians Yogeshwar Dutt, Karnam Malleswari, mountaineer Bachendri Pal, former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, Bollywood personalities Shankar Mahadevan, producer Vipul Shah, industrialists Radhey Shyam Goenka and Hari Mohan Bangur,” he said.

“Chief justices of states and nine former chief justices of India are also descending in Lucknow on January 20 and 21,” the officer added.

COPS ADVISED TO HELP DEVOTEES

Policemen deployed on the route to Ayodhya have been advised to behave cordially with devotees while also helping them with information. This was decided in a police briefing held by JCP (L&O) on Thursday.

“Policemen engaged on route duty will behave cordially with the visitors and give information about the routes. If any vehicle breaks down on any route, it will be immediately removed with the help of a crane,” he said.

NO PARKING ON ROADS

“No vehicle should be allowed to be parked on these routes while e-rickshaws will not be allowed on main roads,” said the JCP (L&O), adding that the police force should not allow any vehicle to stop at main intersections for boarding passengers.

Seventy motorcycle-borne cops have been deployed at major markets on the route to prevent unauthorised parking on the roads, said a police statement.