The airport here has been brought under unprecedented security as the police and CISF personnel began elaborate drills to ensure event-free reception to the President and the Prime Minister arriving on separate special aircraft for their engagements on September 8.
Senior army officers visited the old airport complex on Tuesday for identifying the area to hold the ceremonial reception by the regional chiefs of armed services for President Pranab Mukherjee on his maiden visit to Chennai.
The President will arrive by an IAF plane at 1345 hours on September 8 to participate in the Madras high court’s 150th anniversary celebration at the Nehru Indoor Stadium. He will fly out to Tirupati the same evening, sources said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive the same day by an IAF aircraft at 1645 hours and immediately take a helicopter to Sriharikota for witnessing ISRO’s 100th satellite launch early next morning, sources added.
They said after happy interaction with the Indian space scientists at Sriharikota, the PM would return to Chennai (old) airport at around 1050 hours and board his IAF plane to fly back to Delhi.
“I do not remember any occasion when both the President of India and the Prime Minister landed here on the same day. Naturally, our sensors are on high alert.
We have already brought the entire airport complex under our scanners”, said a senior security officer.
He said the CISF personnel manning the airport have been told none should take leave till September 10.
Also, the Chennai police strength in and around the airport has been stepped up.