The Hindu : Prince Charles arrives on nine-day visit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2003

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National

Prince Charles arrives on nine-day visit

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI OCT. 28. Eleven years after he visited the sub-continent along with late Princess Diana, the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, arrived here today on a nine-day State visit.

Senior officials of the British High Commission and the External Affairs Ministry received him at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The Prince of Wales who arrived by a special British Airways chartered flight with the Royal standard flying from the pilot's window had a Remembrance Day flower pinned to his lapel.

Soon after his arrival he met officers from the Indian regiment.

With a packed itinerary which includes visits to several development and conservation projects, a ride on the Delhi metro and an interaction with young entrepreneurs, Prince Charles has a busy schedule ahead of him.

Among his earliest engagements here on Wednesday is a meeting with young entrepreneurs and members of the consultative panel on youth entrepreneurship and employment organised by the Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust - an organisation which he helped form 11 years ago.

In the afternoon, Prince Charles will take a ride on the Delhi Metro, which he will board at the Tiz Hazari station and disembark at Welcome Colony.

"The movement of the passengers on the metro system will not be affected as he will be taken on a special train," a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson said.

An additional company of police personnel will be stationed along the Metro route when he takes the ride. Recces have been conducted both by the Delhi police and British Embassy officials to ensure total safety during his Metro ride.

Security in and around the British High Commission - where Prince Charles is staying — and other strategic locations across the Capital has been tightened.

While the royal guest will pay a visit to Anugriha, a shelter for the homeless run by the British non-government organisation, Actionaid, in the lane dividing the YWCA and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara on Thursday, he will also take a walk around the Humayun's Tomb. On Thursday afternoon, he will visit the Navdanya Organic Food stall at Dilli Haat.

Other projects that Prince Charles is scheduled to visit over the next two days include a vocational skill development activity of the Delhi Brotherhood Social Development and the Youth Entrepreneurs Project of the Youth Opportunity Trust Asia.

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