Maurya secured for Obama stay

In the next 24-hours ITC Maurya is set to become an impregnable fortress, with hundreds of United States Secret Service agents looking into every nook and cranny of the hotel. The entire hotel has been retrofitted with an array of hi-tech security gadgets that the US authorities brought to the hotel to secure President Barack Obama. Karan Choudhury reports.

In the next 24-hours ITC Maurya is set to become an impregnable fortress, with hundreds of United States Secret Service agents looking into every nook and cranny of the hotel. The entire hotel has been retrofitted with an array of hi-tech security gadgets that the US authorities brought to the hotel to secure President Barack Obama.

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Presidential suite
To counter any sort of sniper attack on the President and his entourage, the security teams have fitted all the windows in the presidential suite with highly resistant bulletproof glass.

“These can withstand even a rocket propelled grenade attack and would be tinted. The room itself has been fitted with state-of-the art gadgets, which would even prevent any person from tracing any heat signatures through high-powered infra red cameras,” said one of the officers in charge of security, on the condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Around 100 Secret Service men would protect the presidential suite. The Secret Service is also checking each and every food item that is entering the premises.

Hotel security
The Secret Service had has taken over the hotel security. Not only they have added a number of close circuit television cameras (CCTV), a number of thermal and infrared imagers have also been added to the area. The Capital’s civic agencies have also been entitled of the task of closing down the ridge area by putting makeshift barricades. Security agencies will also put up watchtowers throughout the ridge to prevent any sort of trespassing and security lapses.

Why Maurya?
According to Delhi Police, it is one of the few hotels, which has an independent floor that can be sealed off from the rest of the building. “When the President arrives the entire floor would be locked. The floor has an exclusive lift and also it is not in anyway approachable through any part of the building,” added the officer.