Cuttack: The Killa Maidan, the stage for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Saturday celebrations to mark four years of his government at the Centre, has been turned into a fortress with a three-tier security cover.
Taking no chance, police and fire service department have beefed up security measures in and around the rally ground.
Chief fire officer (Odisha) Sukanta Sethi said seven fire tenders would be stationed in and around the venue.
"Three fire tenders of 5,000-litre capacity each will be stationed at the lower Bali yatra ground helipad, where Modi will land. Another four fire tenders with capacity ranging from 3,000 to 15,000 litres will be stationed at Killa Maidan," Sethi said.
The BJP has equipped the venue with four fire and waterproof tents, each standing on steel frames and pillars, covering 45,000sqft area.
Each tent will accommodate 8,000 people. A separate tent has been prepared for the podium from where Modi will address the rally.
"We will also station fire tenders behind the podium and on both sides of the podium," Sethi said.Cuttack collector Sushanta Mohapatra said Modi would be in Cuttack from 4pm to 5.15pm for the rally before retuning to Bhubaneswar to take the flight back to Delhi at 5.55pm.
"Ninety-eight platoons of police will be deployed for Modi's visit," Cuttack deputy commissioner of police Akhileswar Singh said.
