PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
Preparations for the Republic Day celebrations at the Parade Ground in Dehradun are nearing completion. The programme will begin at 10 AM on Monday with the parade line-up. Cultural programmes, tableaux, march-past and police medal distribution will follow. On Saturday, Dehradun chief development officer Abhinav Shah inspected the Parade Ground along with nodal officers responsible for different arrangements. He reviewed the preparations and directed all officers to complete their duties on time and with full responsibility. He stressed that there should be no shortcomings in arrangements related to security, seating, drinking water and cleanliness.
Separate entry gates have been arranged for different groups.
Police also issued a traffic plan for Republic Day. Police officials said that VIPs and senior officers will be allowed to enter the Parade Ground through a special VIP gate from EC Road. All parade participants, including army, paramilitary forces, police, Home Guards and media personnel, along with common citizens coming to watch the programme, will have to park their vehicles at designated places such as Rangers Ground and Mangla Devi Inter College near Survey Chowk. From there, people will have to walk to the Parade Ground through the fixed entry gate near Doon Library and Research Centre.
Separate parking arrangements have been made for vehicles coming from different parts of the city. Vehicles coming from Dharampur, Darshanlal Chowk and Doon Chowk will be parked at Rangers Ground, while those coming from Survey Chowk will be parked at Mangla Devi Inter College Ground. Vehicles coming from Rajpur Road will be diverted through Clock Tower and Darshanlal Chowk.
The Ganga block is reserved for the chief minister’s guests, MLAs and officials. The Alaknanda block is for judges, senior officers and commission members. Military officers will sit in the Bhagirathi block. Freedom fighters and statehood movement activists will be seated in the Yamuna block. The Tons block is for media persons, while the Asan block is for other guests. Seating for the general public has also been arranged.
