Pune:26/9/24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Pune on Thursday has been cancelled due to heavy rainfall that battered the city on Wednesday, according to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The cancellation comes in the wake of a severe downpour and a forecast predicting more rain. BJP sources indicate that discussions are underway to potentially reschedule the event for next week, given the significance of the Metro project that Modi was set to inaugurate just days before the Maharashtra assembly polls.
The SP College campus, where the Prime Minister was due to hold a public rally after inaugurating the Shivajinagar to Swargate Metro train stretch, experienced severe waterlogging and mud accumulation. Despite concerted efforts by local authorities, the waterlogged ground remained unsuitable for the event until early morning.
In an attempt to salvage the situation, the state government explored the possibility of changing the venue to the Ganesh Kala Krida auditorium. However, the Special Protection Group expressed reservations about this alternative. The final decision to cancel the tour was prompted by the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) prediction of continued rainfall in the city on Thursday.