The citizens’ hopes of witnessing the first State-level Republic Day parade on Beach Road here were dashed with the government deciding to move the programme to Amaravati.
The decision came on Tuesday morning, barely five days before the scheduled programme.
Senior officials in the Police Department and the district administration confirmed the shifting of the programme. The actual reason,however, could not be ascertained immediately.
Elaborate arrangements were being made and even marching contingents comprising platoons from the Eastern Naval Command, CRPF, Telangana Special Police, AP Special Police, NCC, SSC and scouts and guides, had been rehearsing for the last one week.
“We even held a rehearsal session in the morning, but later we came to know that it had been shifted,” said a member of Bharat Scouts and Guides. The cadets were eagerly waiting to showcase their marching skills in front of the Governor and the Chief Minister. “We now have to move hurriedly to Vijayawada,” said an NCC cadet. The district administration was getting ready to organise the full dress rehearsal on January 24, and the stage and seating arrangements were nearing completion. “We now have to dismantle everything,” said Rajesh, a worker from Bihar.
It is learnt that some part of the marching contingents will be shifted to Vijayawada for the programme and the remaining will take part in the district programme.
The government also moved about 1,000 men drawn from various districts, armed reserve, AP Special Police and Octopus to the city to provide security to the CM and other VVIPs. Now all of them along with the security apparatus such as DFMDs and bomb detection equipment have to be moved back to Vijayawada, said a senior police officer.
Arrangements reviewed
Staff Reporter in Vijayawada writes: Krishna Joint Collector K. Madhavi Latha asked the officials to make arrangements to host the Republic Day celebrations at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium in Vijayawada. Ms. Madhavi Latha, along with VMC Commissioner V. Prasanna Venkatesh and Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju inspected the stadium premises. She said that Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan would hoist the national flag and receive the guard of honour in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and High Court Chief Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari.
Mr. Prasanna Venkatesh said that the VMC would ensure sanitation and supply of drinking water to the visitors.
