An unprecedented security arrangement, comprising Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, has been put in place in the national capital ahead of the arrival of the US President Barack Obama, who is on a three-day visit beginning on Sunday.
Obama, who will be the first US President to be a chief guest at a Republic Day, will be arriving tomorrow morning as Delhiites wake up to the unprecedented security arrangements with traffic restrictions on roads leading to Central Delhi.
Snipers of Delhi Police and National Security Guards will occupy all high-rise buildings on the routes which Obama will be travelling.
The green ridge opposite to Maurya Sheraton hotel has been thoroughly checked and police personnel have been deployed in the jungles along the ridge till the US president leaves.
Central Delhi has turned into a virtual fortress with security agencies partly or completely shutting down nearly 71 buildings. Even bona fide citizens of this area, including MPs and officers of the Armed Forces, have been either issued special passes or have to establish their identities to enter the zone.
A joint team of the US Secret Services and sleuths of central security agencies will be monitoring specially established control rooms which are connected to freshly installed CCTVs for the VVIP, who will be the chief guest at the 66th Republic Day on Monday.
Dedicated radar has been put in place to detect any suspicious movement in the sky and additional anti-aircraft guns have been put in place to shoot down any aerial intrusion.
The Director General of Civil Aviation has issued a 'NOTAM' (Notice to Air Men) for diverting all flights flying over Delhi at the time of the parade.
Earlier, planes flying above 32,000 feet did not fall in the category of no-fly zone, but now the height has been raised to 35,000 feet, the sources said.
Image: A security official guides a visitor at Rajpath with the national capital having tight security arrangements ahead of Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: Atul Yadav/ PTI
