Modi greets Hasina
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Bangladesh PM Sheikh HasinaPIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set aside protocol on Friday afternoon by going to the Delhi airport during peak traffic to receive Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

There were no traffic restrictions along the PM's route, Press Trust of India quoted sources as saying.

PM Modi "travelled from Lok Kalyan Marg to Delhi Airport in normal traffic", reports said.

The Prime Minister's decision to set aside the protocol came after a video went viral earlier this week, showing a policeman refusing to step aside for an ambulance carrying a bleeding boy because of VIP movement in the area. The ambulance was stuck at a Delhi flyover due to the barricades put up for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's convoy.

A witness, who posted the video, stated that several car owners moved aside to make way for the ambulance. However, the police officials did not move the barricades.

Police had said they had assisted in letting the ambulance pass, according to NDTV reports.

The External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also met with the Bangladesh PM.

The Bangladesh PM is travelling to India after a gap of seven years. She is expected to be in the country for four days. PM Modi and PM Hasina are scheduled to hold talks on Saturday.

Bangladesh and India are expected to sign agreements for bilateral trade and investment and cooperation in the energy sector during the visit. The two leaders are also likely to discuss measures to beef up security along the highly-porous border between the India and Bangladesh.

India reportedly will move to counter China's growing influence in neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh by likely announcing a fresh credit  to the country worth about $ 5 billion for infrastructure projects like railways, roads and waterways.