The Hindu : Front Page : Venue of BG service inauguration shifted

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007
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Venue of BG service inauguration shifted

Special Correspondent

Sonia Gandhi to flag off the first train in Madurai

Change sought for security reasons
Event coincides with Aadi Ammavasai

CHENNAI: Southern Railway has decided to shift the venue of the inaugural function of the newly laid Rameswaram – Manamadurai broad gauge line, scheduled to be held in Rameswaram on August 12, to Madurai for security reasons.

United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi is to inaugurate the BG line and flag off the first train service from Rameswaram to Chennai Egmore at the function in which Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad are participating.

The decision to change the venue followed the Special Protection Group’s direction to the railway administration.

The function coincided with Aadi Ammavasai, which draws lakhs of pilgrims from all over the country and the SPG felt it would be a security risk to hold the function at Rameswaram on that date.

Intelligence Bureau officials here and the State agencies expressed a similar opinion, which forced the authorities to change the venue.

A satyagraha had been planned on the day by the Ramar Sethu Protection Movement at Rameswaram.

The function will be held on Madurai Medical College grounds, Madurai, at 4 pm on the same date, according to Southern Railway officials here.

Earlier, Hindu organisations urged the railway administration either to change the venue or postpone the function to some other date as security measures for the VIPs’ visit would cause inconvenience to pilgrims.

State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party L.Ganesan talking to newsmen here on Tuesday wanted the administration to postpone the function or shift the venue. The Hindu Makkal Katchi president Arjun Sampath said already security agencies were stopping all vehicles entering Rameswaram.

The situation would become worse on Sunday when all private vehicles would be stopped on the outskirts and the pilgrims would be forced to walk a long distance to reach the sea.

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