PM Modi to visit Varanasi on Oct 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on October 24 and lay foundation stone for the ‘Urja Ganga’ project, aimed at providing piped natural gas to all the households in the city.

He is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the doubling of Varanasi-Allahabad rail track and electrification of the Varanasi-Allahabad rail section and will dedicate to the nation a dual rail engine that runs on both electricity as well as diesel. The special engine has been manufactured in Diesel Locomotives Works, Varanasi, Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries said.

Meanwhile, BJP workers have launched a cleanliness drive in the city ahead of Modi’s visit even as Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha and Union Minister of State for Human Resource and Development Mahendra Nath Pandey have set camp here to oversee preparations for the PM’s visit.

Officials of Gas Authority of India Limited, who flanked Pradhan, said Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav have been invited for the foundation laying ceremony of ‘Urja Ganga’ project.

Modi may also release a special stamp, dedicated to this ancient city of Varanasi during his visit.

According to ADM (Protocol), Vidya Sagar Singh, Prime Minister Modi will fly from Mahoba by a special Indian Army helicopter on October 24, which will land at the Dereka helipad around 3:55 pm.

From there he will head straightway to the main venue at Dereka Inter college ground to lay the foundation stone for the various projects.

High security has been put in place ahead of the PM’s visit, he said.

After attending the function, Modi will leave for the airport by road the same day from the venue at around 5:20 pm after spending nearly over two hours in the city.

He will leave for Delhi by a special aircraft from the Lal Bahadur Shastri International airport at Babatpur.

BJP workers have launched a cleanliness drive in the city ahead of the PM’s visit and special arrangements have been made at the venue, where a large number of party workers along with local public will participate in the function, said Sanjay Bhardwaj, BJP’s Varanasi as well as eastern Uttar Pradesh Media in-charge.