Rain may force Narendra Modi to take road for launch

Chennai: The authorities handling the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Chennai on Sunday en route to Sriharikota to witness the rocket launch the following morning have set in place a contingency plan for taking him by road instead of helicopter in the event of the weather turning foul, sources said.

They said the officers in the PM security forces held an urgent meeting with state and central agencies at the airport here Saturday evening and discussed options in the event of heavy rains upsetting the helicopter plan.

“It was decided to keep ready an elaborate sterile system, including a secure convoy,  in place for taking the Prime Minister by road from the Chennai airport to Sriharikota (about 110 kms via Red Hills, Gummidipoondi, Tada and Sullurpeta) if heavy rains lash the city and make flying (by helicopter) difficult,” an official said.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to leave Delhi by an IAF aircraft at 1 p.m.  and arrive at Chennai at 3.30 p.m.  It is expected that he would spend about 15 minutes at an airport reception and board the helicopter for Sriharikota to witness the rocket launch scheduled at about 9.45 a.m. Monday. Two helicopters from Delhi and two from Bengaluru have been brought along with crew, technicians and escort personnel for the PM’s trip, sources said.

Several flights to and from Chennai got delayed-some of them diverted to Bangalore-due to the heavy rain Saturday evening. Normalcy was restored around eight in the night.