PM Modi at the 34th Convocation Ceremony of PGIMER, in Chandigarh today. (PTI photo)
Five and a half hours after he landed in Chandigarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologized on twitter to the city for the VIP arrangements made for his visit, which he described as "totally avoidable". Schools and colleges had been closed, forcing the cancellation of exams; major roads were blocked, causing traffic jams , and the city's main crematorium was turned into a parking lot till 3 pm to accommodate government and other vehicles for a rally being addressed by the PM near by.
The PM's comments came after hefty criticism - much of it online -of how Chandigarh was forced to recalibrate its daily life for Mr Modi's first visit to the city after he swept last year's election.
Brigadier Devinder Singh (retd), who fought in the Kargil war in 1999 against Pakistan, lost his 24-year-old son in a road accident yesterday. The retired officer told NDTV that he was forced to change family plans to cremate his son in nearby Mohali, since the crematorium in the heart of the city was declared off-limits.
Bereaved families were asked to use another crematorium on the outskirts of the city.
The PM inaugurated a modern 450-crore version of the city's airport this morning. He was then the chief guest at a convocation or graduation ceremony of the main hospital in Chandigarh.
Officials said special arrangements had been made to ensure ambulances, which would be forced to use longer routes than usual, would not face other delays when they pulled in at the PGIMER hospital because of the security arrangements for the PM's visit.
At least 4,500 police personnel, including commandos and SWAT team members, were posted to ensure the PM's security.
10 members of the opposition Congress who were planning to protest on the streets against PM Modi were detained. Section 144, which bans groups from gathering as a precaution to maintain law and order, had also been declared.
Schools and colleges have never been closed in the city before for a premier's visit. Officials said the PM's timings meant that students would be disrupted on their way to class, so it seemed reasonable to give them the day off.