Lack of coordination forced unscheduled transit

Chennai, Dec 13 (UNI) A change of plan at the 11th hour, forcing President A P J Abdul Kalam to make an unscheduled transit through the city from Nellore on Monday evening, exposed the lack of coordination among the various agencies and lapse in security.

Dr Kalam, who had gone to Nellore on December 11 to inaugurate a tele-therapy machine at the Indian Red Cross Society, had to take a chopper to Tirupati enroute to New Delhi, but bad weather forced him to travel by road to Chennai, covering 170 km, inspite of security risks.

As the weather played spoilsport, the security and travel agencies swung into action and readied the 23 odd vehicles in the President's convoy to travel to Chennai, but failed to notice that some of the vehicles did not have enough fuel to travel the distance.

At least half a dozen vehicles in the tail were forced to stop at a fuel station, but the President's car went past them. A heavy downpour added to the problems and some of the vehicles in the convoy could not catch up with the President's vehicle, official sources said.

A team of Tamil Nadu police received the convoy at the entry point at Tada and when the convoy was put in place, a fresh confusion was created at the Air Port's entry point.

A police officer, who was in-charge of Gate No 1, meant for VVIPs, allowed only the President's car and a section of the convoy, while diverting the other vehicles to the next gate.

This added to the confusion and only after an altercation at Gate No 6, between the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh Police personnel, the President's entourage was allowed entry and everyone heaved a sigh of relief when the special aircraft took off at 2040 hrs.

Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L K Tripathy, who was apprised of the confusion and lack of coordination among various agencies, has asked for a detailed report from the State Protocol Department, official sources said.

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