Bhubaneswar: Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania on Friday chaired a high-level review meeting at the State Police Headquarters to finalise security and safety measures for the upcoming visit of President Droupadi Murmu on August 4.
Senior officers, including Director (Intelligence) R P Koche, ADGP (Law & Order) Sanjay Kumar, ADGP (SAP) Rajesh Kumar, Commissioner of Police (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) Dr Devadatta Singh, Principal Chief Security Commissioner of East Coast Railway Alok Bohra, IGP (Central Range) Satyajit Naik and SP, CID-CB Vivekananda Sharma, were present.
The DGP instructed all units to strictly follow the protocols outlined in the Blue Book for VVIP security. Nodal officers are being appointed to ensure smooth coordination of duties across departments, an official release said.
Key preparatory steps include prioritising anti-sabotage checks at the venues and along the travel route. Track patrolling is being intensified, and all level crossings on the route will remain manned for the duration of the visit. Railway staff assigned to platform duties are being identified in advance and issued duty passes for seamless access. Additional layers of security, such as drone surveillance and continuous monitoring of the venues and routes, are also being put in place.
Khurania directed senior officers to maintain close coordination between the police, railways and administrative authorities to ensure a smooth, secure, and dignified visit for the President.
President’s Itinerary
According to the itinerary, President Murmu is expected to arrive in Bhubaneswar by special aircraft from New Delhi on the afternoon of August 3. She will proceed by road to Jagadguru Kripalu University near Banki in Cuttack district to inaugurate the institution before returning to Bhubaneswar for the night. On August 4, she will travel by train to Brahmapur—keeping in view monsoon conditions—followed by a road journey to Taptapani in Ganjam district. There, she will offer prayers and perform aarti at the revered Maa Kandhuni Devi Temple in T Gobindapur panchayat under Sanakhemundi block and participate in a tree plantation programme.
The schedule also includes a visit to the Dhabaleswar Temple near Brahmapur-Gopalpur. She is slated to stay overnight in Brahmapur and return to Bhubaneswar by train on August 5 before flying back to the national capital.
On July 29, Kataka Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde declared Jagadguru Kripalu University at Banara in Banki, along with helipads, designated safe houses, VVIP routes, and other security-sensitive locations in the district, as “No Drone Zone/No Flying Zone”. The prohibition on drones, UAVs, powered paragliders, microlight aircraft, and similar devices will remain in force from August 1 until the President’s departure.
A detailed traffic advisory has also been issued Bhubaneswar and Kataka.
In Ganjam district, local authorities have ramped up efforts to ensure a dignified visit to Maa Kandhuni Devi Temple. Extensive cleaning drives under the Swachh Bharat Mission, road repairs, infrastructure upgrades, and power supply checks are underway.