The Gujarat government will spend around Rs 80-85 crore on preparations for the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump. Trump will arrive in Ahmedabad on February 24 to inaugurate the world’s largest cricket stadium and spend three hours in the city.

The US president is slated to address a huge crowd of over 100,000 people, expected to turn up for an event at Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.

According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the cost of preparing for Trump’s trip is equivalent to about 1.5% of the annual budget of Gujarat.

The report further states that security-related costs constitute half of the expenses. For high-profile travel, more than 12,000 police officers will be deployed in the city.

In preparation for Trump’s visit, the Gujarat government and the Ahmedabad administration have taken forward the process of renovation and beautification in the city.

The administration has constructed about half a kilometer in Ahimabad along the road from the airport to the Indira bridge. The area is inhabited by over 2,000 people.

Criticizing the move, the Congress said the government was trying to keep slums closed from Trump’s point of view. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation said that this slum is part of the Sardaranagar township and the civic body is trying to improve the lives of its residents.

At least 45 families living in a slum near the newly constructed Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad have been given eviction notices by the municipal corporation ahead of the US President’s scheduled visit.

While officials have denied any connection with the proposed high-profile visit and the issuance of the notice, Slum residents questioned the timing of the move, alleged by AMC to cover a slum on a route The US President is expected to visit the city a few days after he started building a wall.

Gujarat has intensified the Swachhta Abhiyan, one of the flagship programs of the Modi-led government. The walls from the airport to the venue are painted with slogans and messages from Indo-US Bonomies.

With this cleanliness drive, the administration has also sealed three paan (betel nut) shops in the airport circle. This step was taken to keep the area around the airport clean.

While Trump is only going to Ahmedabad and Delhi during his visit, the option of a short trip to Agra is also being explored. In preparation, the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department has released 500 cusecs of water from Ganganahar to the Yamuna in Bulandshahr to improve the “environmental condition” of the river.

With this move, Yamuna, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) assistant engineer Arvind Kumar said that “bad odor” can be reduced when asked about the development.

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