PANAJI
A day ahead of 60th Goa Liberation Day celebrations, the state capital has turned into a fortress with men-in-uniform seen in every nook and corner of the city.
President Ram Nath Kovind will arrive on a two-day visit to Goa on Saturday to attend the function on govt invitation.
Meanwhile, deviating from the conventional norm, the official state dinner for the Chief Guest has been dropped from Liberation Day function.
On Saturday, Sawant will unfurl the national flag at a function at Campal Stadium.
MG Road near Directorate of Accounts, DBB Marg from Bandodkar statue till NIO Circle, Lane of Cecol Bar to Real Agency, Udyog Bhavan to Varsha Book Stall, ferry wharf to Mishra Pedha, Printing press to Govinda Building, Fire station to Campal Ground and All sidelanes connecting Azad Maidan will be closed for traffic till the function is over.
In the evening, the President along with Governor BS Koshyari, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik and Sawant will lay a wreath at Martyrs' Memorial in Azad Maidan.
The President will also attend a cultural event at DB Bandodkar ground in the state capital. The roads along the route the president is going to travel have been repaired and cleaned.
The dinner for guests has been dropped the function owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been customary for Goa Governor to host dinner for guests at the Raj Bhavan.
"Dinner is not there in the programme list of the President Ramnath Kovind's official visit to Goa. There will be no state dinner on account of the pandemic,” said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday.
The screening of a 10-minute documentary on history of Goa is in the list of programmess to be presented before the President.
Only around 400 invitees will be allowed at the event due to Covid-19 protocols.
The President will have three personal engagements during his visit and would leave back for the national capital on December 20.
