PM Modi's visit draws 'serious' attention from various quarters

Visakhapatnam: Even if it is not the maiden visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Visakhapatnam, the ensuing two-day tour is drawing serious attention from several quarters for various reasons.

The arrangements for the inaugural of various development projects followed by the public meeting of the Prime Minister is going on in full swing in the city and about 2 lakh people are expected to attend the public meeting scheduled at Andhra University Engineering College Grounds on November 12. But to make the ground clear for the purpose, several trees in AU have been chopped off, drawing objections from various sections of society. Environmentalists, social activists and the Opposition leaders have already approached the district administration and appealed the officials to stop the destruction of trees.

However, the district officials maintain that the tree-clearing exercise is being carried out after seeking appropriate permission from the concerned departments and that an equal quantum of saplings will be planted later. Also, a majority of the trees taken out from the venue will be re-planted in another location, they claim. Meanwhile, a number of shops and sheds near AU grounds went flat adjacent to Polamamba temple road. The exercise not only drew the ire of the shop owners but also the Opposition leaders.

In order to make the PM's tour a grand success, both the YSRCP as well as the state BJP are competing with one another. While the YSRCP is playing a proactive role in making arrangements for the PM's visit, the state BJP leaders, on the other hand, express their concern over YSRCP's indulgence. When the state government was earlier informed about the PM's visit to the City of Destiny, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao says, the ruling party leaders volunteered for making the programme a success, including zeroing in on the venue for the public meeting and mobilisation of people. "Despite YSRCP and BJP being poles apart, we are not aware of what kind of mileage the ruling party is hoping to get by volunteering for the arrangements of the PM's visit.

Probably, they wanted to show that they are pretty close to the central leadership and the Prime Minister. Also, there is a possibility for making the Opposition parties feel uncomfortable," GVL reasons. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Visakhapatnam to participate in the International Fleet Review. Back then, the entire event was organised under the aegis of the Indian Navy. Now, with the involvement of the political parties, the arrangements made for the PM's visit is drawing objections from several quarters.

On the other hand, the employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and trade union leaders came to the streets, staging a protest that the PM should announce withdrawal of the strategic sale of the VSP. Meanwhile, referring to the alleged Rushikonda land grabbing issue, former TDP minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu wrote a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to do an aerial survey of Rushikonda during his visit to Vizag. The district administration is spending Rs 10 crore approximately for the arrangements. Security has been tightened across Vizag and the Special Protection Group is supervising the arrangements closely. All the routes that fall under the itinerary of the PM, including the road show route, were examined by the bomb and dog squads. The officials are also focusing on beautification work along the route.