With the President's Fleet Review (or PFR as it is being commonly referred to) just a few days away, the Vizag Administration is going all out to get things ready in time. However, judging by the progress, it appears that this will not be possible or will, at best, be a cosmetic job that will disintegrate soon after the event. Every operational ship is spruced up to display its crest and company in a spirit of loyalty and allegiance to its Sovereign and the State during the PFR. Warship INS Sukanya will carry the President for the PFR for the second time in a row. Doordarshan, All India Radio and ETV will cover the PFR live.

For about three days, beginning February 11, the city will virtually become the seat of governance with the first citizen, President APJ Abdul Kalam and other top administrators running the Government from the Naval Base. It is being spruced up for the President's stay at The Chola VVIP suite, in which former president Giani Jail Singh had stayed during one of his visits to the city. The ENC launched a beach cleaning drive to spruce up the area for PFR on the 29th of January by involving school students. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation is continuing the work.

Meanwhile, the State Government has appointed 10 officers of the rank of deputy collector to look after the security and accommodation of VVIPS visiting the city for the PFR. All VVIPs will be given protection by armed security personnel apart from the para-military forces and the State police and the district administration is busy sprucing up the city roads. All star hotels and guesthouses of various departments had been booked for six days from February 10 onwards to accommodate VVIPs. Advance bookings have been made in Taj Residency, The Park, Grand Bay and other hotels on the Beach Road.

On the security front, the city will literally be turned unto a fortress for providing high-level security to visiting VIPs. The Beach Road from the Coastal Battery up to the VUDA Park will be taken over by the Navy, while the police will take care of the city security. As many as 4000 police personnel are being deployed for the event with the assistance of CISF, RPF, Coast Guard and other security agencies. Hotels and lodges in the city have been asked to provide the check-in list to the police and inform the control room if they come across anybody moving around suspiciously.

The ENC Command Mess will be serving the choicest delicacies to the President and also host the Presidential Banquet in the ENC Officers' Mess to mark the occasion. Event Managers Razzmatazz will be organising a cultural show during the President's Dinner for around 500 VVIPs at the Naval Officers' Institute.

The Naval authorities as part of the preparedness for the PFR, conducted the full-scale dress rehearsal of the `Operational Display' on February 4. Around 52 ships, including INS Viraat would take part in the exercises. More warships are expected by Saturday and from February 8 onwards, all ships would be berthed at the anchorage.

The President, Mr APJ Abdul Kalam, will arrive here on February 11 and would make the Fleet Review the next morning and witness the 'Operational Display' on the Ramakrishna Beach during which daredevil aerobatics by Sagar Pavan team and three-dimensional capability of the naval fleet would be showcased. This follows a fly-past of the various aircraft of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. He will release a commemorative stamp and the first day cover and a special publication and present the President's Colours to the Eastern Fleet on the occasion. The President will interact with school children selected from various schools in the city on the 13th of February at the Naval Auditorium Samudrika.

We hope the roads are laid and things spruced up before President Kalam visits but won't be surprised if the presidential motorcade has to weave in between road rollers and construction workers.