TN temple town all set to welcome Kalam

Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Sep 22: The ancient temple town of Rameswaram is all set to accord a grand and rousing reception to President A P J Abdul Kalam when he arrives here tomorrow on his second visit to his home town after assuming the highest office in 2002.

The entire town sports a festive look to welcome Dr Kalam and the people of this tiny island are eagerly looking forward to a glimpse of the most revered space scientist of the country.

All the roads leading to the ''House of Kalam'', the President's ancestral house, where he would meet his elder brother and other family members, wear a new look.

A 'pandal' has been erected in front of his house where he would be given a ceremonial reception by the Muslim Jamaat leaders.

A number of people were seen providing finishing touches to the decorated 'pandal.' The house itself has been spruced with a fresh coat of paint with security personnel dotting the area and all vantage points in the town.

Though there is no formal function at his home town, except for a meeting with his elder brother and other family members during his nearly three-hour visit, expectations are high that he might visit the mosque near his house.

The historic and ancient Abul Kalam Azad Dargah, where Dr Kalam used to visit regularly during his childhood days, was also being given a facelift, in the hope the President would turn nostalgic and make a brief visit to the Dargah.

The entire island was being given a facelift. Finishing touches were being given to the school where Dr Kalam studied The administration of the ancient Ramanathaswamy Temple was also gearing up for a likely Presidential visit

Dr Kalam's first visit to his house as a President was on August 27, 2004. Even as the family members were making all arrangements to accord a grand reception, the police, too, were busy in providing a tight security cover to Dr Kalam. As a precautionary measure, the Mandapam Refugee Camp, housing more than 10,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, would be sealed for two days from today in view of the President's visit.

Ramanathapuram District Collector K S Muthuswamy reviewed the security arrangements at a high-level meeting and said the Mandapam Camp would be sealed.

''No one will be allowed to leave the camp and fresh refugees arriving from Sri Lanka will be taken to police stations,'' he said.

Fishermen had been asked not to venture into the sea on September 23 as a precautionary measure, official sources said.

More than 1000 police personnel would be deployed on security duty all along the 23 km route from Mandapam in the mainland to Rameswaram.

Police personnel would also be deployed on the 2,345 metre-long historic Pamban Bridge connecting the mainland and the island.

All patrolling vessels of the Navy and the Coast Guard had been asked to step up vigil along the coast and at sea.

Official sources said President Kalam accompanied by Governor Surjit Singh Barnala will arrive here from Gandhigram in Dindigul District by helicopter. Soon after his arrival, the dignitaries will visit a Gurdwara before proceeding to his house. He would also utilise the occasion to offer his condolences to his elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meeran Labbai Marakkayar who lost his son Sahul Hameed (61) about two months ago.

Mr Hameed, who was working in Bangalore, died due to ill health and his body was brought here for burial. Though the President was expected to attend the last rites, he could not make it due to preoccupation.

Barricades had been erected on the entire stretch from the Rameswaram Bus stand to his residence and more than 2000 police personnel had been deployed for security.

UNI