The Bhutanese Leading the way.
With the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi expected to be in the country on Sunday, preparations are in full swing to welcome him starting from Paro all the way to Thimphu.
The visible activities are maintenance and repainting of road dividers along the express way, decoration of the roads with colorful flags and planting of trees and plants on the roads. A lot of cleaning campaigns has also been carried out across the city and some potholed roads have also been filled in.
The capital city so to speak has been ‘modi-fied’ into a more beautiful city with the collective efforts of the thromde staff, army, police officials and people from different agencies working long hours.
Sources said about between 70 to 80 strong delegation will be accompanying the Indian PM during the historic visit and their stay has been arranged at Taj Tashi which itself is undergoing special preparations.
It is also learnt that a suite in Taj Tashi has been booked for the PM Modi and 50 more rooms has been reserved for the accompanying delegates.
Since the Indian PM is a strict vegetarian, sources said more vegetarian dishes will be served along with some Gujarati dishes in the menu.
More than 50 Indian journalist’s will be coming to Bhutan for the coverage on the PM’s first foreign visit while than 20 Bhutanese Journalist from various media houses will be present to cover the visit for the local audience.
The Indian PM is expected to land at Paro airport at around 2 pm on Sunday and he will be driving straight to the Dzong for an audience with His Majesty the King followed by a meet with PM Tshering Tobgay. In the evening a banquet will be organized for the Indian PM.
The Indian PM will also be addressing the joint sitting of the parliament on Monday. Later towards the afternoon after attending a lunch hosted by His Majesty the King the PM will depart for India.
The portraits of the two PM’s and the nationals flags of the two countries have been hoisted along the Norzin lam till the Taj Tashi, where the PM Modi will be staying. The preparation is being done from the Thimphu city gate till the Tashichhodzong.
The Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said that preparations will be completed by June 13 evening, as there will be a dry run by a group of senior government officials from Paro till Taj Tashi to ensure everything is perfect.
Meanwhile preparation to welcome the Indian PM is not only in the capital but also in other parts of the country. Posters with welcome message have been hanged in Gelephu and other parts of Bhutan.
To ensure the highest levels of security and uninterrupted traffic flow for the Indian PM’s vehicle movement between Paro, Chunzom and Thimphu and large sections of Western Bhutan will come to a complete halt. Movements of foreign labor at Bhutan’s borders and checkpoints have also been stopped keeping in mind the two important days.
On June 15, the vehicles travelling between Thimphu and Paro will be stopped from 10:30 am till 1:30 pm.
There will be no vehicles parked along the road in the morning from Norzin Lam (old taxi parking) till Taj Tashi. Vehicle movement will also be stopped from the Chubachu round bout till the UNDP junction. Vehicles moving from Royal Textile museum towards City mall will be also stopped.
Vehicles coming Phuentsholing will be stopped about 300 meters away from Chunzom check point and vehicles plying from Wangdue Phodrang and Haa will also be stopped.
Then on June 16, the movement of vehicles from Thimphu and Paro will be stopped in the morning until the guest’s have departed. Meanwhile schools and government offices have been declared holiday on the day. In some schools the examinations have also been postponed.
Chencho Dema
