CHANDIGARH: French President Francois Hollande arrived here this afternoon commencing his three-day visit to India from the city designed by a French architect. He was later joined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
President Hollande landed in Chandigarh at around 1 pm this afternoon, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi choosing to welcome the leader with a series of tweets.
“A warm welcome to French President Hollande. We are honoured & delighted to have him as Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations,” Prime Minister Modi said.
Performing folk artistes wait for Hollande's arrival at the iconic Rock Garden. Express Photo Performing folk artistes wait for Hollande’s arrival at the iconic Rock Garden. Express Photo
Hollande will go to Capitol Complex around 2:30 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive around 2:30 in the city and will meet French President at the Rock Garden, a sculpture park, around 2:45pm. Both the leaders will spend around 15 minute in the garden from where they will go to Government Museum and Art Gallery where some of the fossils found during excavation carried out by a joint team Indian and French scientists at foothills of Shivalik will be put on display.
Later in the evening, Hollande will fly to Delhi.
BJP workers gather at a traffic intersection in Chandigarh waiting to greet President Hollande. Express Photo BJP workers gather at a traffic intersection in Chandigarh waiting to greet President Hollande. Express Photo
Traffic curbs
Traffic will be halted for some time Sunday on the roads the motorcade will pass through. After Hollande’s arrival at the Chandigarh airport around 1 pm, his motorcade will move towards the Tribune roundabout from where it will take a right turn towards the road leading to Transport Lightpoint. The motorcade will move on Madhya Marg towards Hotel Taj. Access to Madhya Marg will be restricted during that time. Traffic movement near Taj hotel and Sector 10 will be stopped on the main road when the French President will arrive in the city.
Folk performances
The BJP will organise folk performances at four points on the route that is to be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande. All the performers are volunteers who will undergo intensive security checks Sunday. Haryanavi, Punjabi and other folk performances will be organised.
BJP leaders to receive PM
BJP leaders from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh will receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Chandigarh Airport Sunday. Apart from MP Kirron Kher and Mayor Arun Sood, BJP city chief Sanjay Tandon, former Union Minister Harmohan Dhawan, former MP Satya Pal Jain, vice president of city BJP unit Raghubir Lal Arora and general secretaries Prem Kaushik and Chander Shekhar will receive the PM.
Security matters
Around 5,000 security personnel are guarding the city in view of the visit. These include personnel of SPG, ITBP and BSF apart from police personnel from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Hoardings with photographs of French President Francois Hollande and Narendra Modi displayed on the street light poles on Madhya Marg in Chandigarh. Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh Hoardings with photographs of French President Francois Hollande and Narendra Modi displayed on the street light poles on Madhya Marg in Chandigarh. Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh
1,000 banners across city
Even as the Municipal Corporation does not allow a single banner to be installed in the city, for the visit of French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, permission has been given for putting up 1,000 banners at various points across the city.
Joint commissioner Virender Chaudhary said officials from the Ministry of External Affairs had sought permission from the MC in this regard.
The boards that have pictures of Modi and Hollande at the entrance mention ‘Welcome’ and those at the exit say ‘Thank you.’ These words are written in French as well on alternate boards.
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