Obama's India visit: With 'Beast' on the move, jams likely

NEW DELHI: An unprecedented security cover will be thrown over the capital as US President Barack Obama lands here around 10am on Sunday. There will be four layers of security with Delhi Police on the outermost level as Obama's cavalcade with 'The Beast' (his Cadillac One car) at its centre travels from IGI Airport to ITC Maurya.

The entire route has been sanitized but will be scanned again late at night on Saturday and early morning. There will be heavy security deployment along the carriageways with snipers stationed on buildings all along. Movement around the city will be affected through Sunday as traffic police have decided to shut down parts of central and south Delhi.

Police said roads between ITC Maurya and the airport will be shut an hour in advance of Obama's arrival. After the US President checks into the hotel, Sardar Patel Marg will be out of bounds for traffic till 12 noon as Obama makes a courtesy call on President Pranab Mukherjee. Traffic on Mother Teresa Crescent and South Avenue will also be halted for an hour. Obama will travel to Rajghat around 12.30pm through Rajpath, Tilak Marg and Ring Road, so traffic on BSZ Marg and Vikas Marg will be halted for two hours. Police officials said vehicles will be diverted through Connaught Place during this time.

The US President will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for lunch around 1.30pm, after which a delegation-level meeting will be held till 3pm. During this time, traffic restrictions will be placed around India Gate. "We will block the stretch between Ashoka Road and Copernicus Marg during this period," a traffic police officer said. However, cross traffic will be allowed on roads whenever possible. Obama will head back to his hotel after the meeting and will return to Rashtrapati Bhawan for dinner around 7.30pm, leading to another round of traffic restrictions.

Sources said security on the ground and in the air this January 26 will be of a kind never seen before. The US Secret Service, CIA, Navy Seals and India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Intelligence Bureau, paramilitary forces and Army are on the job to ensure safety of the leaders of the two largest democracies who face a threat from global terrorist groups.

Sources in intelligence agencies said Obama and Modi figure high on the hit lists of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al Qaida and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Sources said Obama gets more than 20 threats a day while Modi gets at least 10.