Bengaluru: Thousands of police personnel would be on duty across the city on the night of December 31 to ensure safe New Year’s celebrations, said a top police official on Thursday.
“About 15,000 police personnel, including 500 women constables will be on duty on Sunday night across the city to ensure revellers usher in the New Year peacefully,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said in a statement here.
With about 800 CCTVs, drones, 750 patrol vehicles, bomb and dog squads deployed, the city’s downtown will turn into a fortress to prevent untoward incidents and to maintain law and order during the night-long celebrations.
“Checks against drunk driving will begin from 9 p.m. across the tech hub,” he said.
Bars, hotels and restaurants in the city would remain open till 2 a.m.
About 2,000 cops are to be deployed on Brigade Road and MG Road in the city’s central business district, popular for restaurants, pubs and shopping.
“An additional 300 CCTV cameras would be installed to the already existing 500 cameras in the city centre and would be monitored from the commissioner’s office,” Kumar stated.
Flyovers in the city with alternative routes would be shut down from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on January 1 to prevent drunken driving and drag races, the Police Commissioner said.
Drones would also help in keeping a bird’s eye view of the movement of vehicles and revellers, he added.
With the alleged molestation of some women on the new year’s eve a year ago around the upscale MG Road and Brigade Road haunting, Kumar said action would be taken against mischief mongers if they cause trouble and disturb the celebrations.
“Patrolling will be wide and intense and vigil stepped up to prevent any untoward incidents,” Kumar reiterated.
Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) would run its metro services on both east-west and north-south routes till 2 a.m. on January 1.
The state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) would also run its bus services in the city till 2 a.m. for revellers to return homes safely using public transport.
Earlier this month, Bollywood actor Sunny Leone had cancelled her show at a New Year bash in the city after the police had denied permission for its organisers for security reasons and shortage of personnel to deploy for one event.
IANS