Tight security for Clinton in Delhi, Mumbai

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be provided the 'the highest level of security' when she arrives in New Delhi on Sunday for a two-day visit.

Approximately 2,000 personnel from the Delhi police and the elite National Security Guards will be deployed at thr Taj Palace in the city, the venues and along the routes of her travel.

An advance team of senior security officials from the United States have already visited the five-star hotel where she would be staying and conducted its security audit, a senior official said.

The US leader will be arriving in the capital on a Special US Air Force aircraft and will leave on July 21, after a series of meetings with top Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and attending several functions.

"The floors above and below the suite where Clinton will be staying will be kept vacant, besides deploying sharp shooters of the NSG near the Taj Palace, as well as on the high- rises on the route of her travel," the official said.

"The high-level security team of Clinton will reach the hotel on Saturday, a day ahead of her visit to the capital. All precautions have been taken. Clinton will be given the highest level of security," the official said.

Meanwhile, Hotel Taj Palace and Tower in south Mumbai, which bore the brunt of November 26 terror attacks, has been turned into a fortress for the stay of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will be arriving here on Friday night.

Clinton, who visiting the country's financial capital for a little over a day, will stay in the Tower Wing of the hotel, as the Heritage wing that houses presidential suits was severely damaged during the terror strike and is being renovated.

The entire floor where Clinton will be staying has been cordoned off and background checks of other guests staying at the hotel have been conducted, police officials said, adding that the Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad will check the areas where Clinton is expected to visit.

Plain clothes and uniformed policemen will guard the lanes leading to the hotel while explosive detectors and other surveillance equipment have been installed inside, they said.

Armed policemen from special units of the state police, the Central agencies and personnel from the State Reserve Police Force and Rapid Action Force will to be deployed in the areas.

Senior police officials said there are unlikely to be any traffic diversions in the areas through which the entourage of the US dignitary will pass.