Lakhs expected for Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s last rites at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in Delhi

Vajpayee’s body would then be taken to Rashtriya Smriti Sthal under heavy security around 4pm for the final rites

Hours after the announcement of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s death, officials from the North Delhi Municipal Corporation received the first set of directions — to arrange sandalwood and sweep the route from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters to the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where the last rites of the former PM would be held.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik pays tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at his Krishna Menon Marg residence, in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI Photo)

Officials said the former PM’s mortal remains would be taken to the BJP headquarters at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg around noon. Delhi BJP leaders have said around 50,000-60,000 party members would be present at the party headquarters.

The body would then be taken to Rashtriya Smriti Sthal under heavy security around 4pm for the final rites.

Expecting around 1-2 lakh people assembling to pay homage at both locations, civic authorities have asked employees to clean the entire route between the BJP headquarters in central Delhi to Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in north Delhi.

The Union Cabinet had in May 2013 cleared a proposal to set up Rashtriya Smriti Sthal along the Yamuna river in central Delhi for performing last rites of departed national leaders and for setting up their memorials.

The Delhi Police said over 5,000 personnel of city police and paramilitary forced would be posted in a multi-layer security cordon and to provide a smooth passage of the procession.

At least 1,000 police personnel would be posted at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal.

Every police station from Delhi’s 180 police stations has been directed to send police personnel for the security arrangements. Around two dozen of the anti-terror Parakram vans with commandoes armed with MP-5 and AK-47 guns would be pressed into service.

Senior police officials said that starting Thursday night they would begin “sanitising” the route and the venue using sniffer dogs, bomb detection and disposal squads, in coordination with the officials from the Special Protection Group (SPG).

“We will ensure maximum security with minimum inconvenience to the public,” said Madhur Verma, Delhi Police spokesperson.