Police personnel deployed in strength to regulate traffic for Prime Minister’s public meeting in Vizag

Traffic police personnel numbering around 1,500 have been deployed at several places, especially in the areas surrounding Andhra University and Maddilapalem, in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit from Friday.

Along with the AR personnel, the traffic police were deployed right from Anandapuram to Lankelapalem, as a large number of BJP supporters started arriving in the city to attend the Prime Minister’s roadshow proposed soon after his arrival in the evening.

The city is likely to witness traffic snarls from the early hours of Saturday, as around three lakh people are expected to be mobilised for the public meeting venue at Andhra University Engineering College grounds at Maddilapalem.

The police have appealed to the people to use alternative routes in case they need to stir out for any emergency purpose. A special command & control centre has been set up to monitor traffic operations and senior police officials will be heading it.

As per the police, people will be arriving by 3,200 buses at the venue from various constituencies in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, and Anakapalli districts. Around 1,700 buses have been arranged to transport the BJP supporters in Visakhapatnam district alone. While 399 buses have been arranged in Bheemunipatnam constituency, 303 buses will be operated from Pendurthi constituency and 249 from Gajuwaka constituency. Over 950 buses have been arranged to enable people to reach the public meeting venue from Visakhapatnam East, West, North and South constituencies.

As many as 237 buses will be arriving from Srikakulam district and 574 buses from Vizianagaram. Similarly, 756 buses have been arranged from Anakapalli district, covering constituencies such as Narsipatnam, Anakapalli, Yelamanchili, Payakaraopeta, Chodavaram and Madugula.

The police have arranged 15 parking places for the buses at AU Engineering College ground; AU South Campus football ground; AS Raja College ground; MGM ground; APIIC ground; Police Mess; AU Convention building; AU Convocation & Library; Hanumanthawaka to Adavivaram BRTS Road; railway ground at Thatichetlapalem; Krishna College ground; VUDA Children’s Arena; Park Hotel to Fishing Harbour beach road; Kurupam Circle to Jodugullapalem beach road; and Maddilapalem RTC depot.

“All the buses coming to the meeting venue have been given designated routes and even alternative routes. Once they drop the people at various places in China Waltair, Pithapuram Colony, Maddilapalem, and Siripuram, they will leave to their designated parking places,” said a senior police officer.

According to another senior police officer, the NH-16 passing through the city, the NAD to Pendurthi route, the Beach Road stretch from Timmapuram to Park Hotel Junction, and even the Beach Road are expected witness traffic problems.