Nearly 48,000 Indians register for UAE Modi reception

Nearly 48,000 Indians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have so far registered for the public reception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to visit the country on August 16-17, a media report here said.

The reception will be held at the Dubai International Stadium on August 17, Gulf News reported.

Nearly 48,000 Indian expatriates registered for the event on the official website of the event, www.namoindubai.ae, by Wednesday evening.

"As soon as we opened the registration, we received over 15,000 requests. The numbers swelled quickly and this (Wednesday) afternoon we had over 42,000 registrations completed successfully," B.R. Shetty, member of the organising committee, said.

"We expect over 50,000 to register and our estimate on that day is an audience of 40,000 people, considering some of the registered people may not turn up," he added.

Although the stadium has an expanded capacity of 30,000, we will make sure to accommodate more by covering the ground," Shetty noted.

Meanwhile, the arrangements have been made to keep the the open-air stadium cool for the visitors.

"The air-conditioning system would be switched on a day before the event to ensure the participants don't reel under 42 degrees Celsius," the organisers said.

"We do not want our people to sweat and face inconvenience in the heat and that is why we are making this elaborate arrangement with new technology to cool the stadium so that people can listen to their leader in peace," Shetty added.

During the reception, the Indian Consulate has planned a cultural show to welcome Prime Minister Modi.

The organisers are also planning to distribute free food and water to the attendees.