Elaborate security arrangements made for International Yoga Day in New Delhi

The yoga event at Rajpath will be attended by Union minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi L-G Anil Baijal, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi.

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for the International Yoga Day celebration at Rajpath on Thursday, a senior Delhi Police officer said.

Labourers seen sitting at the lawns of Rajpath ahead of International Yoga Day, in New Delhi on June 20. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

More than 500 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed to keep an eye on suspicious elements. There will be 78 door frame metal detectors (DFMD) points for entry where visitors will be scanned, he added.

The country is all geared up to roll out yoga mats to mark the fourth International Day of Yoga, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to lead about 55,000 enthusiasts in performing asanas in Dehradun on Thursday.

The yoga event at Rajpath will be attended by Union minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi L-G Anil Baijal, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory asking motorists to avoid Rafi Marg, Janpath, Man Singh Road, Maulana Azad Road, Rajpath (between Vijay Cheok and Man Singh crossing), Krishna Menon Marg, K Kam Raj Marg and Rajender Prasad Road till 10 am on Thursday.

The advisory asked motorists to take alternate routes -- Ring Road, Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg, Subarmaniyam Bharti Marg, Rajesh Pilot Marg, Dr Abdul Kalam Road, Tuglak Road, Mother Teresa Crescent Marg to travel from south to north and vice-versa, and from east to west and vice-versa.

In Delhi, eight events have been planned in the national capital with the main celebration being held in the Connaught Place.

The centrepiece of the first yoga day celebration in 2015 was New Delhi’s Rajpath, with the event making it to the Guinness World Records with 35,985 participants performing asanas at one venue and 84 nationalities being part of it.

The United Nations General Assembly in December 2014 had declared that June 21 would be observed as International Day of Yoga every year, a move for which India had lobbied hard.