Snipers, Special Passes and Unprecedented Security for Chief Guest Obama

President Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two of the world's most heavily protected leaders, will watch the Republic Day parade at Rajpath from a special enclosure around which a multi-layered security ring is being thrown. Already, no one can approach the area without special clearance.

The no-fly zone of 300 km radius around the seat of the capital where Rajpath is, will be extended to 450-500 kms for three hours on the morning of January 26, Republic Day, while the parade is on.

This means that it will extend up to the Pakistan and Nepal borders. In the north the no-fly zone will extend to just short of Srinagar and to Bhopal, south of Delhi. During that period, no aircraft will be allowed to fly there.

71 high-rises around Rajpath have been identified, sources said, as places from which an attack could be launched or could be used as places to hide. These are being sanitised and kept under watch from January 25. 

In previous years, about half that number of buildings have been vacated and sanitised for the Republic Day parade.

Snipers will be deployed on buildings that overlook Rajpath, keeping an eye out for the slightest sign of trouble.

Special passes will be issued to employees who will be working in buildings in the area on January 25 and 26. Only those cleared for access can enter those building

Unlike earlier years, when 30,000 passes were issued, only 19,000 passes will be issued this time.

The area around Rajpath houses most central government ministries and the headquarters of the Indian armed forces. The presidential palace, Rashtrapati Bhawan, and Parliament House too are very close to Rajpath, a 3 km stretch down which the Republic Day parade will pass.

UP police has been keeping a hawk's eye on villages in an around Taj Mahal for about a month, sources told NDTV. They added that policemen were in touch with headmen of villages in the area, who were keeping track of movements of locals.