Vizag to come under a heavy security blanket for Presidential Fleet Review, Milan-2022

Over 5,000 security personnel will be deployed to ensure that the events pass off without incident

The city will come under a heavy security cover from February 20 to March 5, as two major events of the Indian Navy- the Presidential Fleet Review (PFR) and Milan-2022, will be held during this period.

Over 5,000 security personnel are being deployed, especially to handle the PFR on February 21 and the city parade of Milan, which is scheduled for February 27, on Beach Road.

About 3,500 personnel are being brought from other districts and will comprise men from various wings such as the Civil Police, Armed Reserve and anti-terrorists forces such as the AP Special Police, the Greyhounds and the Octopus. This apart, central security forces such as the NSG (National Security Guards), ITBP and the Marine Commandos (Marcos) of the Navy, will also be part of the security cover.

While President Ram Nath Kovind, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, will attend the PFR, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, some Ministers in the State Cabinet, senior bureaucrats and high-ranking officers from the three wings of the armed forces will also be in attendance.

For Milan, apart from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, it is expected that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, senior bureaucrats and 150 high-ranking officers from the participating countries will be present.

“We cannot leave any stone unturned in terms of security, as it is big event not only for the Indian Navy, but also for the city, State and the country,” Commissioner of Police Manish Kumar Sinha said.

As per conservative estimates, two lakh people are expected to throng the Beach Road stretch from Naval Coastal Battery to The Park Hotel, where the city parade will be held. An operations demo is on the cards, as part of Milan, on the evening of February 27.