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PM Modi’s Varanasi visit today; four Vande Bharat trains to be flagged off
Officials said PM Modi is expected to arrive at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur around 5 pm on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will commence his two-day visit to Varanasi this evening and extensive security and administrative arrangements have been put in place ahead of his arrival.
PM Modi is scheduled to flag off four new Vande Bharat Express trains which will be connecting major cities across India.
Officials said PM Modi is expected to arrive at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur around 5 pm on Friday and will then travel by road to Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), where he will stay overnight.
On Saturday morning, at around 8.15 am, he will flag off the four Vande Bharat Express trains from Banaras railway station.
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Trains and routes to be flagged off
The new semi-high-speed trains will operate on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, Firozpur-Delhi, and Ernakulam-Bengaluru routes.
The Banaras-Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express will link crucial cultural and religious destinations, including Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Chitrakoot, officials said.
After the flagging-off ceremony, PM Modi will travel by helicopter to Babatpur Airport and depart for Darbhanga, Bihar, at around 9.15 am.
The city has been decked up to welcome the prime minister.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries said arrangements have been made for a grand reception in several areas, including Sant Atulanand Bypass, near JP Mehta, the BLW FCI godown, and near the BLW gate.
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Three-tier security system in place
Commissioner of Police Mohit Agarwal said a three-tier security system has been implemented for PM's visit.
The entire route has been declared a no-flying zone, with CCTV surveillance and drone monitoring ensuring real-time vigilance.
All police personnel on duty have been instructed to carry their identity cards at all times.
No vehicles will be allowed to stop along the prime minister’s route, and rooftop security deployment has also been arranged. Entry at the venue will be permitted only after thorough security checks.
Special arrangements have been made for frisking women by women police officers, and officials on duty have been directed to carry loudspeakers and public address systems to efficiently manage the crowd.
