Security beefed up in Delhi, Gurugram and several cities ahead of New Year
New Delhi: The country is preparing for huge festivities as the countdown to 2025 begins. The police have prepared comprehensive plans and are prepared to keep an eye on people, particularly at well-known celebration locations, in anticipation of large crowds in several cities.
To maintain safety and avoid unfortunate events on New Year’s Eve, major cities nationwide have implemented laws. In order to preserve peace and order, drunk driving would likewise be closely monitored.
DELHI RESTRICTIONS: MONITOR DRUNK DRIVING
Nearly 20,000 police and paramilitary officers have been sent in by the Delhi Police to uphold law and order on New Year’s Eve as part of their extensive security plans. Since many people are anticipated to travel from nearby states to Delhi, deployments in the national capital’s border regions have also risen.
Until the conclusion of the New Year’s festivities, restrictions will be in place in the Connaught Place area starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. It will apply to all vehicles used for both public and private transportation.
In order to minimize congestion, police said that buses going to Connaught Place will be rerouted beginning at 7 p.m. on December 31 and that the exit gates of Rajiv Chowk Metro Station would be locked after 9 p.m. on the same day.
“Large crowds are expected to gather in various clubs, hotels, restaurants, pubs, malls, eating houses, and parks. Special arrangements will be made for Connaught Place/Connaught Circus, Khan Market, five-star hotels, including The Lalit, Imperial, Park, Royal Plaza, Shangri-La, Le Meridien, Taj Mahal, Taj Vivanta, Metropolitan, Claridges, Ashoka, Samrat, ITC Maurya, and Taj Palace, India Gate, ‘C’ Hexagon and Kartavya Path, temples, and gurudwaras,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla told news agency PTI.
According to the DCP, New Delhi, the arrangement is overseen by the DCP and is separated into two zones.
Additional DCP-I will oversee Zone-A at locations like Parliament Street and Connaught Place, while Additional DCP-II will oversee Zone-B at locations like Chanakya Puri, Barakhamba Road, and Tughlak Road. The DCP said that 11 companies of the Central Armed Police Force—10 companies of men and one company of women—will be deployed, along with four ACPs, 23 inspectors, 648 police officers, 100 house guards, and more.
In Delhi, jail vans, ambulances, and fire tenders are on standby.
Three teams of Prakram vehicles, 33 MPVs, 30 motorcycle-patrolling teams, 43 foot-patrolling teams, 29 border pickets, 30 vehicle-checking parties at parking lots, seven plain-cloth spotters, five arrest parties, two ambulance vans, two fire tenders, two jail vans, two bomb disposal squad teams, 28 door frame metal detectors, and two SWAT teams will all be deployed, according to the police.
Medical professionals will be sent in to examine drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. To check for infractions of prohibition rules and excise legislation, an excise inspector will be sent out.
The DCP further said that everyone would be searched and frisked, that alcohol use will not be permitted in public areas, and only those who have valid invitation cards from hotels or restaurants will be permitted to enter Connaught Place.
In order to divert additional cars from the Connaught Place area, the DCP stated that 47 pickups had been set up.
According to him, there would be severe consequences for driving while intoxicated, speeding, stunt bicycling, reckless driving, zigzag, and unsafe driving, among other offenses.
In the meantime, South West district police have put in place extensive security measures to guarantee public safety and nonviolent festivities, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary.
According to him, 14 teams of Quick Reaction Teams have been placed at key places, and 27 designated checkpoints with barriers and traffic checking stations equipped with breath analyzers have been set up to control vehicle flow.
According to the DCP, police have reserved 35 major celebration locations for extra protection, and teams will keep an eye on significant locations, including 15 shopping centers, hotels, movie theaters, and other well-known locations.
He stated that in order to avoid undesirable situations, sufficient security measures have been put in place at 21 bus stations, 60 motorcycle patrol members have been stationed on important highways, eight prestigious hotels will have increased protection, and security has been improved at the Hauz Khas village party center.
He said that 161 female employees, 38 inspectors, 329 sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, and seven ACPs would be stationed at different sites. For improved visibility and traffic control, the deployment consists of both foot and vehicle patrols.
“We have made elaborate traffic arrangements for the New Year celebrations,” said DK Gupta, Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic). Connaught Place, close to India Gate, Hauz Khas Market, Saket Mall, Ambience Mall, and other locations will be the main emphasis. Stickers for cars accessing Connaught Place after 8 p.m. have been handed. Ten locations in Connaught Place have been classified as off-limits to drivers.
“We have placed employees at 14 locations at the India Gate,” Gupta said, adding that limitations will be put in place to avoid congestion.
DELHI METRO RESTRICTIONS
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said on Monday that passengers would not be permitted to leave the Rajiv Chowk metro station after 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve in order to protect public safety.
Passengers will be able to enter the station, however.
To ensure the seamless execution of these steps, QR tickets for the Rajiv Chowk station will no longer be available via DMRC’s mobile application after 8 p.m.
The remainder of the network’s metro services will run according to their usual schedule.
GURUGRAM DRUNK DRIVING CHECKS
To prevent drunk driving on New Year’s Eve, around 80 traffic police officers would be stationed at several checkpoints in Gurugram. According to a senior police official cited by PTI, special checkpoints, or naakas, would be erected at eight strategic spots to guarantee rigorous implementation of anti-drunk driving policies.
According to the police, there is a rise in drunk driving occurrences over the New Year’s holiday. Eight specific checkpoints will concentrate on drunk-and-drive infractions for the sake of public safety and efficient traffic operations.
Eight traffic inspectors, sixteen zonal officers, eight road safety officers, and fifty additional staff would be part of the deployment, he said.
To guarantee quiet and secure festivities, DCPs in every zone have been directed to erect extra checkpoints in their localities, according to Traffic Deputy Commissioner of Police Virender Vij.
According to Vij, anybody found driving while intoxicated would face consequences under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Arrangements for security in Kolkata
On December 31, Metro Railway Kolkata will bolster security measures with 24-hour CCTV monitoring at the central control room and special teams stationed at Park Street station, near the center of festivities, as well as multiple other stations along the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-New Garia corridor).
After 9.40 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, six special trains—three on the UP line and three on the DN line—will run.
Well-trained RPF personnel would be stationed at all entrance and departure gates on New Year’s Eve in anticipation of the rush at the Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan, Rabindra Sadan, Dum Dum, and Dakshineswar Metro stations, a Metro Railway statement informed PTI.
Four employees and one cop will make up the next special team that will be stationed at the Park Street Metro station.
To properly guide the passengers, a sufficient number of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel will be stationed at the Park Street, Maidan, and Esplanade Metro stations.
At these stations, anti-sabotage inspections will also be intensified.
To protect women and children, a number of female RPF officers and employees will be stationed at Park Street station. At the Park Street, Maidan, and Esplanade Metro stations, a special team including a sub-inspector/assistant sub-inspector and four employees, including two women, would be on duty.
Enough personnel will be stationed in the North-South Metro central control center to keep an eye on developments in real time, and passengers’ safety and security will be regularly monitored by CCTV.
According to the statement, six more services—three on the UP and DN lines, respectively—will be operated at night on New Year’s Eve in order to assist Blue Line travelers.
The trains from Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash (New Garia) will run on these six services at 9.48, 10.03, and 10.18 p.m. Trains for Dakshineswar will depart from Kavi Subhash at 9.55, 10.10, and 10.25 p.m.
On this particular day, these Metro services will be available every fifteen minutes.
HYDERABAD METRO TIMINGS CHANGED
The Hyderabad Metro train schedules have been extended as the police administration in all of the main cities is taking important measures to guarantee safety and security during the New Year’s festivities.
Hyderabad Metro Rail will run longer hours on New Year’s Eve to accommodate the festivities and guarantee passenger safety.
In order to provide passengers with a secure and easy late-night connection, Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited’s MD, NVS Reddy, said that the last train would depart from all terminal stations at 12.30 am on January 1, 2025, and arrive at their respective endpoints by around 1.15 am.
According to the New Indian Express, tipplers will also be given free transport to ensure their safe return home after New Year’s festivities on December 31.
CONSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC IN VISAKHAPATNAM
All citizens must abide by the traffic rules imposed by the Visakhapatnam Police on New Year’s Eve. The flyover bridge between Vemana Mandiram and DLO Junction will be closed to both cars and pedestrians from 8:00 p.m. on December 31 to 5:00 a.m. on January 1, 2025, for public safety, the city police said.
“Devotees who bring their vehicles for pooja at the Sampath Vinayaka Temple on January 1 must park on the left side of the road from Goti Sons to Kalamandir in a single line, without obstructing traffic,” states the traffic laws. Similarly, from the GVMC Commissioner’s bungalow to Vemana Mandiram, cars should park in a single line on the right side of the road. It is forbidden to do vehicle poojas in front of the temple.
The rules further specify that from 8:00 p.m. on December 31 to 5:00 a.m. on January 1, 2025, no parking or vehicle movement will be permitted along this section.
“From Hanumanthawaka to Adavivaram Junction, Goshala Junction to Vepagunta Junction, and Pendurthi Junction to NAD Junction via Convent Junction, the center lane of the BRTS Road would be blocked from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am. The service roads on each side are open to emergency vehicles. According to the rules, the underpass next to the RTC Complex and the center lane from Maddilapalem Junction to Rama Talkies will also be blocked from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for safety.
Additionally, beachgoers have been told to walk to the beach and park their cars in approved spots.
In Gujarat, 4,000 cops are deployed across the state.
Surat is taking important measures to guarantee safety and security throughout the festivities as it gets ready to welcome the New Year. More than 4,000 police officers will be stationed around the city on December 31 to control crowds and uphold law and order, according to DCP Hetal Patel.
Speaking to the media, DCP Patel emphasized the thorough security measures in place as well as the youth’s excitement for the forthcoming festivities.
The youngsters are really excited about December 31, for which the Surat Municipal Corporation has made several preparations. “Over 4,000 law enforcement officers will be placed on the roads,” she said.
Patel said that the authorities have been concentrating on vehicle inspection and surveillance as part of their preparations over the last week.
Police Gear Up in Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai Police were also preparing to make sure that the celebrations continued without any unfortunate happenings as the countdown to the New Year celebration began.
According to news agency ANI, Milind Bharambe, Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai, said that police officers would be sent to make sure that every resident is secure. She also advised everyone to observe rules and regulations and be responsible during festivities.
In order to monitor drug use in the city’s main districts, cops will also be stationed in civil attire.
Limitations in Bangalore
In light of the New Year’s festivities, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Monday that hundreds of police officers have been sent out and that every preparation has been done to guarantee that Bengaluru City and the state as a whole do not experience any unfortunate events.
Additionally, he urged everyone to avoid being entangled in any unfortunate situations.
Speaking to PTI videos, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said that various ministries had placed over 1,000 cameras across the city and issued a warning that no annoyance would be accepted.
The Bengaluru Police have prepared elaborate plans for the city’s approaching New Year’s festivities, deploying strict security in high-traffic locations to guarantee both public safety and efficient traffic flow.
11,830 police officers, including senior officers and civil defense professionals, will be on tight watch around the city, keeping an eye out for any possible rave parties and drug-related activity.
