Chennai, Aug 14:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay will hoist the national flag at the Fort St George parade ground in Chennai on Saturday as part of the 80th Independence Day celebrations.
This will be Vijay’s first Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony at the historic fort. He will also receive the police parade salute and present the Thagaisal Thamizhar Award, carrying a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a citation.
Vijay will also honour recipients of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award for excellence in science and technology, the Kalpana Chawla Award for courage and bravery, the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Awards and awards for outstanding service to persons with disabilities.
Awards for social service, women’s welfare, best local bodies and the Chief Minister’s State Youth Awards will also be presented during the ceremony.
Preparations for the Independence Day celebrations are currently underway at Fort St George, with security and ceremonial arrangements being intensified ahead of the event.
Meanwhile, Chennai is under a five-tier security cover ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, with extensive deployment of police personnel, intensified surveillance and traffic restrictions planned around Fort St George and other key locations across the city.
The security arrangements have been made under the directions of Chennai Police Commissioner A. Amalraj, with Additional Commissioners Kapil Kumar C. Saratkar (North), K.S. Narendra Nair (South) and B. Shamoondeshwari (Traffic) supervising special security duties.
As part of the arrangements, additional police teams have been deployed at Chennai airport, railway stations, bus terminals, bus and Metro stations, commercial complexes, beaches, places of worship and other locations frequented by VIPs. Intensive vehicle checks and surveillance are being carried out at these places.
Police teams are also conducting checks at hotels and lodges across the city. Patrolling has been intensified using four-wheelers and two-wheelers, while barricades have been erected at key locations for round-the-clock surveillance.
The police have appealed to the public to immediately inform them about suspicious movements or unattended vehicles.
The Greater Chennai City Traffic Police has announced extensive traffic regulations around Fort St George from 6 am on August 15 until the Independence Day function concludes.
The stretch of Kamarajar Salai from the Labour Statue to the RBI Subway on Rajaji Salai, along with Flag Staff Road, will remain closed to vehicular traffic, except vehicles carrying valid red and purple colour car passes.
Vehicles with red and purple passes travelling on Kamarajar Salai before 8.10 am will proceed via Rajaji Salai and enter the Secretariat through its designated entrance. Such vehicles will be parked at designated locations inside the Secretariat complex.
After 8.10 am, these vehicles will not be permitted through the War Memorial. They will instead be diverted through Flag Staff Road, Wallajah Point, Muthusamy Point, Muthusamy Road, NFS Road and Parrys Corner before taking a U-turn at the RBI Subway to reach the Secretariat’s exit gate. Parking will be provided at the PWD Parking area.