The countdown for 2025 has begun and the nation is gearing up for grand celebrations. Anticipating massive crowds across various cities, the police have made elaborate arrangements and are all set to keep a watch on people, especially on popular celebration spots.
Major cities across the country have introduced regulations to ensure safety and prevent untoward incidents on New Year’s Eve. To maintain law and order, a strict watch would also be kept on drunk driving.
RESTRICTIONS IN DELHI, WATCH ON DRUNK DRIVING
The Delhi Police have announced robust security arrangements for New Year’s Eve, and have deployed nearly 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel to maintain law and order. Deployments in the border areas of the national capital have also been increased, as many are expected to arrive in Delhi from adjoining states.
Restrictions shall be imposed from 8 pm onwards on Tuesday in the area of Connaught Place till the end of New Year celebrations. It will be applicable to all private and public transport vehicles.
According to police, buses headed towards Connaught Place will be diverted, starting from 7 pm on December 31, and the exit gates of Rajiv Chowk Metro Station will be closed after 9 pm on December 31 to prevent overcrowding.
Sharing information about the deployment in the New Delhi district, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla told news agency PTI, “Large crowds are expected to gather in various clubs, hotels, restaurants, pubs, malls, eating houses, and parks and 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.”
The DCP further said that the arrangement is divided into two zones, with overall supervision by the DCP, New Delhi.
“Zone-A will be supervised by additional DCP-I at places like the Parliament Street and Connaught Place and Zone-B will be supervised by Additional DCP-II at places like Chanakya Puri, Barakhamba Road, and Tughlak Road. There will be four ACPs, 23 inspectors, 648 police staff, 100 home guards, 11 companies of Central Armed Police Force — 10 companies of men and one company of women will be deployed,” said the DCP.
AMBULANCES, FIRE TENDERS, JAIL VANS ON STANDBY IN DELHI
Police said two ambulance vans, two fire tenders, two jail vans, two teams of bomb disposal squad, 28 door frame metal detectors, two teams of SWAT, 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 and five arrest parties will be deployed.
Doctors will be deployed to conduct medical examinations of people driving under the influence of alcohol. An excise inspector will be deployed to check violations of excise laws and prohibition regulations.
The DCP further said that searching/frisking of all individuals will be conducted, no person will be allowed to consume liquor in public places, adding people with valid invitation cards from hotels/restaurants will be allowed to proceed towards Connaught Place.
The DCP added 47 pickets have been erected for the diversion of other vehicles from the Connaught Place area.
A strict action shall be taken against drunken driving, overspeeding, stunt biking, reckless driving, zig-zag and dangerous driving, etc., he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Surendra Choudhary said the South West district police have implemented comprehensive security arrangements to ensure public safety and peaceful celebrations.
He said that traffic checking points with breath analysers and 27 designated checkpoints with barricades have been established to regulate vehicular movement, and 14 teams of Quick Reaction Teams have been stationed at strategic locations.
The DCP said police have secured 35 key celebration venues for special security coverage, adding teams will monitor important spots like 15 malls, motels, cinema halls, and other popular places.
He added adequate security measures have been deployed at 21 bus stops to prevent untoward incidents, 60 motorcycle-patrolling staff have been deployed on critical roads, eight prominent hotels will get enhanced security, and security has been enhanced at the Hauz Khas village party hub.
He further said that seven ACPs, 38 inspectors, 329 sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, and 161 female personnel will be deployed at various locations. The deployment includes foot and vehicle patrols for heightened visibility and traffic management.
For traffic arrangements, Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic) DK Gupta said, “We have made elaborate traffic arrangements for the New Year celebrations. The focus will be on Connaught Place, near India Gate, Hauz Khas Market, Saket mall, Ambience Mall etc. We have distributed stickers for the vehicles entering Connaught Place after 8 pm. We have identified 10 spots at Connaught Place where people can’t go with their vehicles.”
“We have deployed staff at 14 points at the India Gate,” Gupta said, adding that restrictions will be imposed to prevent overcrowding in the area.
METRO RESTRICTIONS IN DELHI
To ensure public safety, commuters will not be allowed to exit from Rajiv Chowk metro station after 9 pm on New Year’s Eve, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said on Monday.
However, the entry of passengers into the station will be allowed.
Additionally, from 8 pm onwards, QR tickets for Rajiv Chowk station will not be issued through DMRC’s mobile application to facilitate the smooth implementation of these measures.
Metro services on the rest of the network will operate as per the regular timetable.
CHECKS ON DRUNK DRIVING IN GURUGRAM
In Gurugram, more than 80 traffic police personnel will be deployed at various checkpoints to curb drunk driving on New Year’s Eve. According to PTI, special checkpoints (naakas) will be set up at eight key locations to ensure strict enforcement of anti-drunk driving measures, a senior police officer was quoted as saying.
The officer said during New Year celebrations incidents of drinking and driving increase. For public safety and smooth traffic operations, eight dedicated checkpoints will focus on drink-and-drive violations.
The deployment will include eight traffic inspectors, 16 zonal officers, eight road safety officers and 50 other personnel, he added.
DCPs across all zones have been instructed to set up additional checkpoints in their respective areas to ensure peaceful and safe celebrations, Traffic Deputy Commissioner of Police Virender Vij said.
Action will be taken under the Motor Vehicle Act against everyone caught driving under the influence of alcohol, Vij said.
SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS IN KOLKATA
On December 31, the Metro Railway Kolkata will strengthen security arrangements with special teams posted at Park Street station, close to the hub of celebrations, and several other stations along the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-New Garia corridor) and round-the-clock CCTV monitoring at the central control room.
Six special trains will be operated three each on the UP and DN lines after 9.40 pm on New Year’s Eve.
Anticipating rush at Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan, Rabindra Sadan, Dum Dum and Dakshineswar Metro stations, well-trained RPF personnel will be deployed at all entry and exit gates on New Year’s Eve, a Metro Railway statement told PTI.
Another special team consisting of one officer and four staff will be deployed at the Park Street Metro station.
An adequate number of Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff will be deployed at Park Street, Maidan and Esplanade Metro stations to provide proper guidance to the commuters.
Anti-sabotage checking will also be stepped up at these stations.
Several women RPF officers and staff will be deployed at Park Street station to ensure the safety and security of women and children. One special team consisting of a sub-inspector/assistant sub-inspector and four staff including two women will be present at Park Street, Maidan and Esplanade Metro stations.
To monitor real-time developments, adequate staff will be posted at the central control room of North-South Metro, with regular CCTV monitoring to ensure the safety and security of passengers.
The statement said six additional services (three on UP and DN lines each) will be run at night on New Year’s Eve for the benefit of the commuters on the Blue Line.
Of these six services, the trains from Dakshineswar for Kavi Subhash (New Garia) will be available at 9.48 pm, 10.03 pm and 10.18 pm. From Kavi Subhash trains will leave for Dakshineswar at 9.55 pm, 10.10 pm and 10.25 pm.
These special Metro services on the occasion will be available at an interval of 15 minutes.
METRO TIMINGS CHANGED IN HYDERABAD
As the police administration across all the major cities is taking significant steps to ensure safety and security during the New Year celebrations, the timings of Hyderabad Metro trains have been extended.
To facilitate the New Year celebrations and to ensure safe travel for commuters, Hyderabad Metro Rail will operate extended hours on New Year’s Eve.
Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited, MD, NVS Reddy stated that the last train will leave from all terminal stations at 12.30 am and reach their respective endpoints by about 1.15 am on January 1, 2025, providing safe and convenient late-night connectivity for passengers.
Comments