In a few hours, India will witness a historic moment. Narendra Modi will be sworn in for a record-equalling, consecutive third term, along with a council of ministers. The ceremony will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 7.15 pm where President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office to the prime minister and his ministers.
Preparations for this grand event, which will see 8,000 guests in attendance, including leaders from seven neighbouring countries, is in full swing with authorities leaving no stone unturned to make it a grand ceremony.
Let’s take a closer look at all the prep underway for Narendra Modi’s grand swearing-in ceremony.
Special arrangements
At the forecourt of
Rashtrapati Bhavan
, workers are rushing to finish the prep for Narendra Modi’s third swearing-in ceremony. In fact, the official YouTube channel of the President of India even released a video of the behind-the-scenes work being carried out for the event.
Workers can be seen laying out red carpets, chairs, water fridges and mist fans all across the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan before Modi and his ministers take the oath of office this evening. According to an Indian Express report, owing to complaints of unavailability of cold water during the 2019, swearing-in ceremony, rows of water fridges and mist fans have been installed at the venue.
Fortunately for Modi, the
weather
will be conducive for a long event — guests and VIPs will be expected to sit for around four hours for the event owing to security protocols. The IMD has asserted that the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 43 degrees Celsius.
And keeping in mind the event, the Change of Guard ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan was not held on 8 June and won’t be held on 15 and 22 June, as President Murmu will be addressing both the Houses of Parliament.
A special dinner will also be held after the swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan where those in attendance will be accorded with a delicious meal of delicacies reflecting India’s diversity. Sources in the Rashtrapati Bhavan have told The Week that the guests will be offered traditional vegetarian thali, with delicacies from all major regions in the country. Both Modi and President Droupadi Murmu are vegetarians, and important Gujarati and Odia cuisines will be on offer. The special Raisina dal, which legend states takes 48 hours to prepare, will also be served.
Tightened security
Security
has been beefed up in and around Rashtrapati Bhavan for the historic swearing-in ceremony. A multi-layer security arrangement involving five companies of paramilitary personnel, NSG commandoes and snipers have already been deployed around Rashtrapati Bhawan. Drone cameras have also been put into service.
“More than 2,500 police personnel, including five companies of paramilitary and Delhi Armed Police (DAP) jawans, have already been deployed around the venue,” a Delhi Police officer said. “We have restricted traffic movement, diversions of traffic, installing of barricadings. No one will be allowed to breach law and order situation,” the officer said.
According to a police officer, as the event is scheduled to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, it will have a three-layered security both inside and outside the premises. Delhi Police personnel remain deployed at the outer ring followed by paramilitary personnel and internal security of the President’s house at the inner ring.
Snipers and armed police personnel have already been deployed on the routes of the dignitaries. The security cover resembles the one for the G20 summit last year.
Moreover, the Delhi Traffic Police has made special arrangements and issued an advisory on diversions and restrictions in the vicinity of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. According to the advisory, no traffic movement will be allowed on the Sansad Marg (between Transport Bhawan and T-point Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg), North Avenue Road, South Avenue Road, Kushak Road, Rajaji Marg, Krishna Menon Marg, Talkatora Road and Pt Pant Marg between 2 pm to 11 pm.
Pedestrian movement, however, will be allowed. “No vehicle will be allowed to halt or park anywhere on Imtiaz Khan Marg, Rakab Ganj Road, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg, Pandit Pant Marg and Talkatora Road,” said the advisory.
The traffic police further said vehicles found parked on these roads will be towed away and its owners prosecuted. The towed vehicles would be parked in the Traffic Pit at Pandit Pant Marg towards Gole Dak Khana.
The traffic will be diverted also from Patel Chowk, Roundabout Patel Chowk, Rail Bhawan, Roundabout Gurudwara Rakab Ganj, Gole Dakkhana, Roundabout RML and Roundabout GPO.
A senior police officer said that almost 1,100 traffic personnel have been deployed.
Also, the Delhi Police has imposed prohibitory orders and declared parts of the national capital no-flying zone for the swearing-in ceremony Sunday evening.
The prohibitory orders will remain in force on 9 and 10 June.
Rashtrapati Bhavan will also remain closed to the public owing to the swearing-in ceremony.
The invites
For Modi’s swearing-in, an estimated 8,000 people have been invited from all walks of life; from
world leaders
to
construction and sanitation workers
.
President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu, vice-president of Seychelles Ahmed Afif, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of Mauritius, Nepal’s prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Bhutan’s prime minister Tshering Tobgay have accepted the invitation to attend the ceremony.Besides world leaders, businessmen and celebrities from the film industry are also expected to attend the grand event.
Moreover, construction workers part of the Central Vista project, sanitation workers, Railway employees deployed on Vande Bharat trains, and those who found mention in Modi’s monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat will also be in attendance.
A senior BJP leader told ThePrint that Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awardees, 30-40 religious heads many of whom attended the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, besides artists, people from the film and sports fraternities, top industrialists and businesspeople, among others, are expected to attend the grand event.
In conclusion, one can expect a grand event starting at 7.15 pm at Rashtrapati Bhavan during which Narendra Modi and members of his Council of Ministers will be sworn in for a third term.
With inputs from agencies
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