BENGALURU
The City Police Department on Monday issued detailed guidelines for New Year celebrations, placing special emphasis on the safety of women and young adults as Bengaluru prepares to welcome the New Year.
Addressing a press conference, City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said comprehensive security arrangements had already been put in place across the city. He noted that Central Business District (CBD) areas such as MG Road, Brigade Road, Koramangala, Indiranagar, Electronic City and major mall zones were likely to witness heavy crowds on New Year’s Eve and would therefore be under heightened surveillance.
The Commissioner stressed that public peace and order must be maintained at all costs. He warned that strict legal action would be initiated against anyone attempting to disturb law and order. Hotels, pubs, clubs and resorts will be permitted to function only within prescribed time limits on New Year’s Day, while DJ music and loudspeaker use have been allowed subject to specific time restrictions.
Traffic movement on MG Road will be restricted from 10 p.m. on December 31. Warning against nuisance in an inebriated state, Mr. Singh said pubs and clubs could be closed if verbal duels, altercations or unruly behaviour are reported. AI-enabled surveillance cameras will be deployed at key locations to deter and detect untoward incidents.
Special arrangements have been made to ensure safe travel after midnight. Additional BMTC buses will operate across the city, and discussions have been held with tempo traveller operators to address the anticipated shortage of cabs and auto-rickshaws during late hours.
Around 20,000 personnel will be deployed citywide on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The deployment will include four police control rooms, 78 watch towers, 164 women help desks and 46 “umbrella” visual safe zones to handle emergencies and weather contingencies. Support infrastructure will include 55 ambulances and 37 fire tenders.
The security cover will also comprise 10,122 civil police personnel, 2,436 traffic police, 88 Karnataka State Reserve Police platoons with 1,936 personnel, 21 City Armed Reserve platoons, 3,341 home guards, 916 civil defence personnel, 400 traffic wardens, four C-SWAT teams, three Quick Response Teams, two water jets, 246 Hoysala patrol vehicles and 249 Cobra patrol teams.
