With Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expected to arrive in Vadodara late Sunday evening, the city police on Saturday issued a notification of 33 road closures and alternate routes across the city to be effective from Sunday night until the end of the event on Monday. Along with Sanchez, heavy VVIP movement is expected with Union Ministers, delegations and special business invitees also arriving in Vadodara. From the domestic airport to the TATA Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) manufacturing facility, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate with his Spanish counterpart on Monday upon his arrival, the Lukshmi Villas Palace and ITC Welcomhotel, where Sanchez will be staying, have been turned into a fortress — all roads leading to the locations are cordoned off with security agencies, including the Special Protection Group (SPG), taking position. In a notification issued on Saturday, the Vadodara City Police diverted 33 routes in Harni, VIP Road, Fatehgunj, Gorwa, Akota, Pandya Bridge, Atal Bridge, Alkapuri, Chakli Circle and OP Road mainly leading to the airport and the TASL facility as well as routes towards Welcomhotel at Alkapuri, where the Spanish PM will be hosted. Roads leading to Rajmahal Road, where the two Prime Ministers will head to for a vital bilateral meeting and lunch, have also been restricted for traffic movement. The road blocks will be in place from 10 pm on Sunday to 3 am on Monday and from 6 am on Monday until the end of the events. The notification states that PM Sanchez will arrive at Vadodara airport on Sunday and head to ITC Welcomhotel for the night. On Monday morning, Sanchez will depart from Welcomhotel and arrive at the airport circle and join PM Modi at the TASL facility for the inauguration. Thereafter, the convoys of both the Prime Ministers will head to Lukshmi Villas Palace through Fatehgunj main road, Kala Ghoda and Jail Road. The two Prime Ministers are expected to enter the Lukshmi Villas Palace from the main Gate Number 1, through which entry is restricted and only available for the royal family. Following the bilateral meeting and lunch at the LVP banquet, PM Modi is expected to return to the airport and head to Amreli while PM Sanchez will return to Welcomhotel before departing from India later on Monday evening. The notification, however, states that apart from vehicles pressed into emergency services, such as ambulances, fire brigade and police patrol teams, vehicles travelling to the airport will be allowed on presenting valid tickets. Vadodara Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Jyoti Patel said, “We have announced the block and road diversions as per the schedules we have received. If there are any changes or postponements, we will reserve the discretion to decide until when the roads should be made accessible to people. However, we have clearly stated in the notification that travellers to and from the airport, who produce valid tickets will not be prevented on the roads. This has been done to ensure that there is no confusion among the police personnel on the ground and the common people are not harassed.” PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility — the country’s first in the private sector — in Vadodara on October 30, 2022. The facility will manufacture C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) through collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain.This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well. The project is a result of a September 24, 2021 contract between the Ministry of Defence and Airbus Defence and Space S.A. for acquisition of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. While 16 aircraft are to be delivered in flyaway condition between September 2023 and August 2025, the manufacturing of 40 others will be at the Vadodara facility. The first 'Made in India' aircraft is expected in September 2026.
