US, Maha officials likely to meet on Friday

A team of White House officials are likely to meet their counterparts in the Maharashtra Home Ministry on Friday to review security and other issues ahead of US President Barack Obama's official tour next month. "The team has arrived in the town today to review security and other arrangements and would be meeting the State Home officials on Friday," a Home Department official said.

There were reports that Obama would visit the Gateway of India, Marine Drive and his wife Michelle would go to Kamathipura, the red-light area of the city. The official, however, refused to disclose details of the places to be visited by the US President.

"Nothing has been decided so far. We have no idea about the places he would visit in the city," he said. The US Consulate would convey their final plan to the External Affairs Ministry and then it would come to the state government about the places to be visited, he added.

The state government held the first meeting in Mantralaya with officials from American Consulate last week to discuss the visit and security aspects. Even the protocol, such as who would be receiving and accompanying the President during the visit, is yet to cleared by the External Affairs Ministry, the official said.

American security officials, meanwhile, are likely to meet their Mumbai counterparts in a day or two. During the meeting, the security arrangements for Obama visit would be discussed before chalking out the final security apparatus, police said.