Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected at the HAL Airport at 5.55 am, and will be driven straight to ISTRAC at Peenya, around 23 km away.
Published Aug 25, 2023 | 8:47 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 25, 2023 | 8:48 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou of Greece in Athens on Friday. (X)
The BJP in Karnataka is planning to accord a grand welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in Bengaluru to congratulate the ISRO scientists and other officials on the morning of Saturday, 26 August.
The planned arrangements include a roadshow. If it takes place — the police have not yet granted permission — it will be Modi’s first after the BJP’s humiliating defeat in May’s Assembly polls.
During his brief visit — Modi will be arriving at the HAL Airport from Greece — the prime minister will visit the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) centre at Peenya.
On Wednesday, India became the first country to land a spacecraft on the Lunar South Pole.
Thousands of BJP workers are expected at the HAL Airport to receive the prime minister at 5.55 am.
“The prime minister will arrive at HAL airport at 5:55 am. He will head to ISTRAC from the airport at 6:35 am and is scheduled to reach at 7 am,” sources told South First.
“He will interact with ISRO scientists for an hour from 7 am to 8 am. He will fly to Delhi at 8:35 am,” the sources said.
ಚಂದ್ರಯಾನ 3 ಯಶಸ್ವಿಯಾದ ನಿಮಿತ್ತ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಶ್ರೀ @narendramodi ಅವರು ಅಗಸ್ಟ್ 26 ರಂದು ಇಸ್ರೋಗೆ ಭೇಟಿ ನೀಡಲು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ ಆಗಮಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಲಯ ಜಗನ್ನಾಥ ಭವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಪೂರ್ವಭಾವಿ ಸಭೆ ನಡೆಯಿತು.
ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜ್ಯಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @nalinkateel, ಮಾಜಿ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @RAshokaBJP, ಶ್ರೀ… pic.twitter.com/kpc4ywD9Tp
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) August 24, 2023
Though the police have not given the nod for the roadshow, the BJP is going ahead with the preparations. “We are gearing up to accord a grand welcome by organising a mega roadshow in the city on his arrival,” former minister R Ashok told reporters.
He claimed that more than 6,000 would be at the airport. “He (Modi) is likely to address the people of Bengaluru there,” the BJP leader added.
Ashok further said that the party’s general secretary for organisational matters BL Santosh had asked him to organise the roadshow in Peenya. “I spoke to Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju about organising the show,” he said.
The former minister added that the prime minister has given the people of Bengaluru to share their joy with him.
“We, the people of Bengaluru, will give Modi a grand welcome, because ISRO means Bengaluru and Bengaluru means ISRO. He is coming here to congratulate ISRO scientists,” he said.
Interestingly, a BJP office bearer told South First that the party has not arranged any vehicle for the roadshow. “He will travel in his official car from the HAL Airport to ISTRAC,” he said, requesting anonymity.
Modi is likely to address the scientists at ISTRAC. Soon after the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, he telephoned ISRO Chairman S Somanath from Johannesburg in South Africa to congratulate the team.
He had also said he would soon visit them in Bengaluru to greet the entire team in person.
The prime minister was on a four-day official visit to South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit. He flew to Athens, Greece, on Friday, the first Indian prime minister to visit the Hellenic Republic in 40 years. After his engagements in Greece, he will fly to Bengaluru.
During his interaction with scientists at ISTRAC, Modi is likely to tough upon ISRO’s future missions, including Gaganyaan and Aditya-L1.
Gaganyaan envisages to demonstrate India’s capability in sending humans to space. As part of the mission, a three-member crew would be put on an orbit 400 km away for three days before bringing them back safely to Earth.
Aditya-L1 will be India’s first space-based mission to study the sun.
“Preparations are in full swing for Gaganyaan. We are planning to launch either in the last week of September or the first week of October,” Somanath told reporters on Wednesday.
“Several projects have also been lined up to execute in the next three to four months. We are planning to launch Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicle-D3. I cannot disclose everything now,” he listed out the missions.
A two-segment ramp facilitated the roll-down of the rover. A solar panel enabled the rover to generate power.
Here is how the rapid deployment of the ramp and solar panel took place, prior to the rolldown of the rover.
The deployment mechanisms, totalling 26 in the Ch-3… pic.twitter.com/kB6dOXO9F8
— ISRO (@isro) August 25, 2023
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is waiting for a communication from the Prime Minister’s Office to welcome Modi at the airport.
As per protocol, the governor, chief minister and other top officials should receive the prime minister. Siddaramaiah’s visit to the airport is yet to be scheduled.
“The PMO will send an official list about who all should be present at the HAL to welcome the PM. We are waiting for the official list from the PMO. CM’s visit to HAL is not yet confirmed,” Chief Minister’s Media Advisor KV Prabhakar told South First.
The Bengaluru traffic police have issued an advisory restricting the movement of heavy vehicles on 13 roads in the light of Modi’s visit.
“Elaborate traffic arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. Certain traffic restrictions and diversions are also being implemented,” the police said.
“The road users are advised to use alternative roads and all types of heavy goods vehicles are prohibited on 13 roads,” the advisory said.
The traffic police have advised people to avoid the following roads from 4 am to 10 am on Saturday: Old Airport Road, CV Raman Road, Old Madras Road, MG Road, Cubbon Road, Raj Bhavan Road, Tumkur Road, Magadi Road, Outer Ring Road, Jalahalli Cross Road, Gubbi Thotadappa Road and Bellary Road.
(With PTI inputs)
