Obama-mania in India: Air Force One to get VVIP treatment, presidential car to have blood bank

It’s not just US President Barack Obama who will receive VVIP treatment when he arrives in India on Republic Day. Security arrangements have been intensified so much for Obama’s visit that even the vehicles the President commonly travels in seem to be getting VVIP treatment. [caption id=“attachment_2056189” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] US President Barack Obama. AFP[/caption] Air Force One, the state-of-the-art plane with some of the most sophisticated technology that carries the US President, will be given the same protocol in Indian air space that is reserved for the President of India and the Prime Minister, according to NDTV. This means that until Air Force One lands down, all other planes will have to wait to land. “We will ensure that the plane lands safely and without any kind of problems. It does not require any airspace closure. When the US President is departing, that’s when we may have to hold other air traffic,” NDTV quoted a senior official in the Civil Aviation ministry as saying. Another NDTV report says that another special transport plane that will land well ahead of Air Force One will bring to Delhi the Beast, which is the US Presidential state car. The Beast will also include a small blood bank and a doctor selected by the Indian Prime Minister’s Office. The report added that since it has not been decided so far whether Obama will share the President’s car to the Republic Day parade, the Beast will be included as a part of President Pranab Mukherjee’s convoy to the parade. The Taj Mahal will also be available exclusively to Obama when he visits the monument and all hotels in Agra have been asked to ensure up-to-date guest lists and working security cameras. Moreover, the Taj Mahal will also remain closed to the public for the duration of Obama’s visit to Agra on 27 January, according to CNN-IBN. For the first time in India, the Rajpath and India Gate will remain shut on 26 January as US President Barack Obama visits India for Republic Day. Various traffic restrictions have been imposed in New Delhi and Rafi Marg, Man Singh Road and Janpath have been closed for the public from 24 to 26 January. Sardar Patel Marg on which the Maurya Sheraton is located and Teen Murti Bhavan will remain closed on 26 January. Buildings adjoining the venue, like North and South Blocks, Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shastri Bhavan, Vayu Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, Nirman Bhavan, Jawahar Bhavan, National Museum and Vigyan Bhavan will be shut by 25 January. Only security personnel will be allowed inside the buildings. A seven-layer security ring will be thrown around the VVIP enclosure on Rajpath for the Republic Day parade to be witnessed by US President Barack Obama and the airspace over the area would be monitored by a radar to be specially set up. The ring will be thrown around the VVIP enclosure with elite Special Protection Group and Secret Services personnel forming a part of the Close Proximity ring, official sources said, adding a radar has been exclusively kept for monitoring the air space over the VVIP enclosure.