Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the city in view of the maiden visit of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to Tiruchi on Monday after assuming office.

Mr. Vijay is slated to arrive in Tiruchi by a special aircraft from Chennai around 4 p.m. on Monday. Senior officials and TVK functionaries will receive him at the Tiruchi International Airport. He is expected to travel in an open vehicle, to thank the voters for reposing faith in him and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in the recently held State elections, from the airport to St. Joseph’s College ground via T.V.S. Togate and Palpannai along the Tiruchi-Chennai Highway.

A pandal accommodating about 5,000 spectators has been erected on the college ground, where he will deliver a thanksgiving speech to the voters of Tiruchi East for electing him to the State Assembly.

It is expected that a large number of TVK cadres will converge at the venue. All along the 13- km route of the Chief Minister, the TVK flags have been put up and the police have erected barricades at vantage points to regulate the crowd.

According to sources, an elaborate security plan has been put in place to thwart any untoward incident. Led by T.S. Anbu, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order), over 2,500 police personnel from different districts have been deployed for the security arrangement. Four Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, 12 Superintendents of Police, 40 Deputy Superintendents of Police, and 50 Inspectors are among the personnel drafted for the Chief Minister’s visit.

N. Kamini, Commissioner of Police, Tiruchi, told The Hindu that policemen were posted at vantage points. Traffic diversions had een made to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city on Monday.

Minister’s appeal

N. Anand, Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources, who is the general secretary of TVK, in a social media post said that the thanksgiving ceremony had been arranged as per the standard operating procedures of the police. The programme was only for those given permission by the organisers. Only 5,000 persons, who had been given an entry pass with QR code, would be allowed to attend the function. Entry passes had not been given to pregnant women, children, schoolchildren, senior citizens and people with disabilities. They should not participate in the function. The participants should park their vehicles at the designated spots to ensure smooth flow of traffic, he said.

The Minister said that drinking water, medical care facilities, and essential services had been arranged at the meeting spot for the visitors.