Published 20:31 IST, February 18th 2020
As Ahmedabad gears for Trump's visit, painters hope their artwork gets noticed
Fifty-year-old Ashok Badjatya and his five-member team have been painting walls around the Motera stadium hoping to be noticed by President Donald Trump
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As Gujarat gears up to welcome US President Donald Trump for the mega 'Kem Chho Trump' event, the preparations have been going on in full swing. Apart from the outstanding Motera stadium which will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and Donald Trump, fifty-year-old Ashok Badjatya and his five-member team have been painting walls around the location hoping to be noticed by the prestigious guests. Speaking to ANI, Badjatya said that he hopes President Trump and PM Modi notice their paintings while crossing the roads and appreciate their efforts.
Badjatya, also added that he wants to fight against the use of plastics and that he tries to propagate the message of 'swachhata'. The messages inscribed on the walls around Motera stadium which will host the mega 'Kem Chho Trump' event include, 'World's largest Democracy meets World's Oldest Democracy' and 'Mera Swachh Motera' along with portraits of Trump and Modi. An approximately 100 feet long wall depicts Mahatma Gandhi, 'Charkha' along with various athlete poses. The team of painters has been given permission to complete the entire stretch covering the Motera stadium by February 22.
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, 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.
20:31 IST, February 18th 2020