Ahead of Donald Trump’s visit, Ahmedabad gets a makeover

Trump, along with First Lady Melania, is slated to visit India from February 24-25. Their first stop, Ahmedabad, is in a rush to get ready for the visit that has been awaited since 2017, when PM Modi first extended an invite. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

Motera's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium will host an event 'Kem Chho Mr President’, on the lines of ‘Howdy Modi’, headlined by the PM in Texas in September last year. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

Around the swanky Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium at Motera, some roads are being laid and others re-carpeted, a coat of paint is being applied to newly installed railings, while even footpaths are getting new paver blocks. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

The road work around the Motera stadium is being done by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), which is building two new roads and re-carpeting 18, at an estimated cost of Rs 27 crore. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

The Gujarati diaspora, mostly from the US, is expected to comprise a large chunk of the invited audience at Motera, like at the Texas event. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

Work is also on to ready 13 plots of land within a 2-km radius which can accommodate at least 2,600 buses, 4,700 four-wheelers and 5,000 two-wheelers. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

During Trump’s visit, a slew of deals on trade and defence are on the table as India seeks to elevate the strategic partnership with the US. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

Preparation are in full swing at Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Ashram also. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

As per government source, Trumps are expected to begin their tour by visiting the Sabarmati Ashram. (Express photo: Javed Raja)

The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT) said Gujarat Tourism Department Secretary Mamta Verma had discussed with them the protocol followed for earlier VIP visits, including the route taken, duration and itinerary. (Express photo: Javed Raja)