Published 21:45 IST, February 18th 2020
Sabarmati Ashram plans to gift khadi items and charkha as souvenirs to President Trump
The Sabarmati Ashram trust is planning to gift a few items made of handspun khadi and a charkha as souvenirs to the POTUS and first lady Melania Trump
Ahead of the much-anticipated visit of the President of United States Donald Trump to India, the preparations have been going on in full swing. Director of the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, Atul Pandya on Tuesday informed that the Ashram is planning to gift a few items made of handspun khadi and a charkha as souvenirs to the POTUS and first lady Melania Trump. During the President's Gujarat visit on February 24, Trump is scheduled to visit the Sabarmati Ashram and inaugurate the Motera stadium along with PM Narendra Modi.
While speaking to news agency ANI, Pandya also informed that the big old charkha will be put on display for the guests at Hriday Kunj. He also added that the Special Protection Group (SPG) team will visit on February 20 to ensure security compliances and the government officials will hold a meeting with the trustee on Wednesday after which the details will be sent for approval.
Huge crowds to line the road
To begin with, Donald Trump will be received at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport by PM Modi himself amid a tri-services guard of honour and cultural presentation by students on the tarmac. Thereafter, he is expected to visit the Sabarmati Ashram along with PM Modi. Along the entire road route that would be taken by the Trump couple from Airport to the Sabarmati Ashram and then to the Motera stadium, a large number of performers will gather to showcase the Indian culture through cultural dance forms.
'Kem Chho, Trump!'
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or the Motera stadium has a seating capacity of 1,25,000. A huge stage is being set up at the centre of the ground. Around the stage would be VVIP seating for the Trump delegation, top diplomats, Indian Ministers, as also the Gujarat Cabinet. The BJP Gujarat unit and as many as 72 other social organizations have been tasked with bringing people to fill the stadium, as also line the roads that Trump carcade would take from Ahmedabad Airport to Sabarmati Ashram and Motera stadium.
Around 2,200 buses would ferry the crowd to the stadium from parking zones created about a kilometre away. Apart from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, and district administrations of neighbouring 5 districts are working full time to make the event a success. As many as 18 top IAS/IPS officers of the Gujarat government are coordinating various aspects of the event to ensure foolproof arrangement amid direct supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office from New Delhi.
Image Credits: PTI
Updated 21:45 IST, February 18th 2020