Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel today paid a visit to the Ahmedabad airport as well as the Sabarmati riverfront to take a stock of the preparations for Chinese President Xi Jinping's one-day visit scheduled on September 17.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive at the airport on September 16 to welcome Xi, who will land here on September 17. Both the leaders are scheduled to have a dinner at the Sabarmati riverfront in the evening.
The chief minister first visited the Ahmedabad airport to review the preparations and security arrangements, an official press release said.
She later went to Sabarmati Ashram, where Xi is scheduled to visit. Thereafter she went to the riverfront park, where both the leaders will have dinner, said the release.
Patel gave her suggestions to the local administration for successful handling of the event.
She was accompanied by Finance Minister Saurabh Patel, Home Minister (MoS) Rajni Patel, Law Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja, Urban Development Minister Shankar Chaudhari, Ahmedabad mayor Minakshi Patel, among others.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has embarked on the task of adding beauty to the spots which the Chinese President is scheduled to visit.
“Our administration swung into action as soon as we learned that the Chinese President visiting the city. Since he will be spending some time at the Sabarmati riverfront in the evening, we have decided to illuminate the entire riverfront with decorative lights at regular interval,” city mayor Minakshi Patel said.
Since the riverfront has a garden near Subhash Bridge, the civic body's garden department has been trimming trees and putting colourful lights to make it more attractive, a senior AMC official said.
“We are also making a beautiful dome-like structure where both the leaders will sit for dinner. A cultural dance performance is also on the cards. It will be a lights and music show for them,” said the official. The route from where the President's convoy will pass—Airport-Vastrapur-riverfront—is also being beautified.
“Cleaning of roads, repainting of walkways, trimming of trees, etc are already underway since the last few days. We are also going to illuminate Kankaria Lakefront and many other buildings in the city,” the official said.
