
Varanasi gears up for CZC meeting, final touches underway
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Varanasi: With the Central Zonal Council (CZC) meeting scheduled for June 25, preparations have intensified in Varanasi. Beautification works are nearing completion, particularly along routes that will witness VIP movements beginning Monday evening.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and the CMs of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are expected to attend the meeting. According to officials, this will be the first time a non-state capital city is hosting a zonal council meeting, mrking a significant moment for Varanasi following its successful hosting of G20 events in 2023.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Divisional Commissioner S.
Rajalingam and Commissioner of Police Mohit Agrawal confirmed that all logistical and security arrangements are in the final stages. The visiting CMs— Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand), Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh), and Vishnu Deo Sai (Chhattisgarh) — will arrive in the city on Monday. That evening, they will offer prayers at the Kaal Bhairav and Kashi Vishwanath temples before proceeding to the meeting venue at Hotel Taj in Nadesar on Tuesday morning.
To ensure smooth movement and aesthetic appeal, authorities are focusing on key areas including the stretch from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport to Hotel Taj and the roads leading to both temples. Thematic display boards are being installed along the Varuna bridge, while road dividers are being freshly painted. Work on enhancing street lighting and greenery is also nearing completion, with multiple agencies working in coordination.
On the security front, Commissioner Agrawal said a multi-layered deployment plan has been finalised. Security personnel will be stationed at the venue and across the VIP routes. Measures include rooftop surveillance, deployment of officers in plain clothes, drone monitoring, and route diversions. Traffic diversions will remain in effect from Monday evening until the dignitaries' departure on Tuesday. CM Yogi during his visit to the venue on June 16, had reviewed the arrangements and instructed officials to ensure the timely completion of all pending work.
With issues from multiple departments expected to be discussed, senior officials from Union ministries and departments of the four participating states have already started arriving in the city.

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