Namrup turns fortress ahead of PM Modi’s visit; IAF choppers on standby

Jorhat, Dec 20: Namrup, Assam’s industrial township, has been placed under a tight security blanket ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on December 21 to lay the foundation stone for a major fertiliser project at the Namrup Fertilizer Plant.

Thousands of security personnel have been deployed across the town, with the Indian Air Force keeping three helicopters on standby near the event venue.

Throughout Friday, IAF helicopters conducted repeated landing drills at a temporary helipad set up close to the site.

The Assam Police have also intensified preparations, holding a series of high-level meetings to fine-tune security arrangements.

These meetings are being led by Inspector General of Police (Law and Order and Communication) Akhilesh Singh. Multiple checkpoints have also been set up on roads leading to the venue, significantly restricting movement.

The upcoming fertiliser project, estimated at Rs 10,000 crore, will be jointly funded by the Centre (60%) and the Assam government (40%). Once completed, the plant is expected to boost production to 12 lakh metric tonnes annually.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said the project would make Assam “self-reliant in fertiliser production while enabling supplies to other parts of the country”.

Ahead of the visit, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the project’s significance in a social media post, stating that the Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project of Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited would help meet fertiliser demand in Assam and other states, reduce imports, and strengthen Atmanirbharta.

Earlier on Friday, Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises Minister, Bimal Bora, along with Naharkatiya MLA Tarang Gogoi, visited Namrup to review security arrangements.

Bora said the project, a joint venture involving Oil India and National Fertilizers Limited, would be completed within 48 months and marks a new phase of industrial growth in Assam.

However, the Prime Minister’s visit comes amid local protests, with residents alleging crop damage following land acquisition for the Prime Minister’s public meeting venue.

Responding to the concerns, Gogoi said discussions had been held with affected farmers and compensation for crop losses had already been released.

“This is not the first time the Prime Minister will address a meeting on farmland. He had earlier held a similar rally at Bogibeel. While the Gandhi Field is located nearby, it cannot accommodate a crowd of over one lakh, necessitating the current preparations,” he said.

He added that the land would be returned after the event, with recultivation facilitated or further compensation provided if required.

The foundation stone-laying event is expected to draw a crowd of over one lakh people, with authorities maintaining heightened vigilance across Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Charaideo districts.