Kalam: Orissa calling

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 25: A platter of Oriya delights is what chefs in Raj Bhavan have lined up for the first citizen of the country.

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who is expected to spend around 24 hours in Orissa starting tomorrow evening, will get to savour chhena tarkari (a spicy curry of cottage cheese), santula (a mixed vegetable fare), mushroom curry and besar (a typical Oriya curry made of brinjal, banana and tomato). For dessert, Kalam would be served the sinful chhenapoda and rasmalei.

While the Raj Bhavan officials work on making Kalam?s stay a memorable one, the administration is busy chalking out plans for a smooth visit.

According to the schedule, President Kalam will arrive here at 7.40 pm tomorrow by a special flight and attend at least five functions throughout Tuesday before returning to Delhi at 6.30 pm.

The President is scheduled to inaugurate a 21,000-sq-ft biotechnology campus at Infocity and a children?s science congress here.

Kalam will also address students of Fakir Mohan College in Balasore.

From the airport, the President will head for Raj Bhavan where he would be put up in the Kalinga Hall. The governor?s secretariat is working overtime to provide a host of amenities, including computer with Internet connection.

City residents can expect traffic snarls in the next two days. The road connecting the airport with Raj Bhavan and Sishu Bhavan would be sealed tomorrow evening when Kalam arrives. On Tuesday morning, the same roads would be sealed 30 minutes before the President leaves for Balasore. In the afternoon, the road connecting Raj Bhavan with Chandrasekharpur would also be closed to the public.

?The diversion of traffic will begin about 30 minutes before President Kalam?s convoy passes through. Soon after he reaches the venue, we will open the roads. People will have to bear with us,? said Nalini Pradhan, the city traffic inspector.

Bhubaneswar superintendent of police Amitabh Thakur said elaborate security arrangements have been made for Kalam?s visit. Fifty platoons of police will be deployed as a security measure.

State police chief Suchit Das will personally supervise the security arrangements along with a team of senior officers.