States have issued guidelines and ramped up security with police personnel deployed in view of the anticipated rush during the new year celebrations on Saturday after a two-year gap due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Here’s how states have ramped up security in view of new year parties and gatherings
Chattisgarh
The police have made elaborate security arrangements in Raipur to ensure peaceful new year celebrations. The state’s housing and environment department has issued guidelines permitting the use of loudspeakers from 10 am to 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve and January 1. All district collectors and superintendents of police have been instructed to ensure strict implementation of guidelines to prevent noise pollution.
Kerala
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked people to be cautious against COVID-19 and take precautions during the new year celebrations. “The collective isolation of reactionary forces that seek to disrupt peace and unity is required. Let’s move together with more strength for that (in the New Year),” he said in the message.
Gujarat
The Gujarat police have made elaborate security arrangements and warned revellers against the use of drugs and alcohol. Senior officials have been asked to carry out combing operations on the night of December 31 to thwart any possible terrorist activity, Director General of Police (Training) Vikas Sahay said. Police officials have been provided with special kits to detect narcotics on the spot. Special planning has also been made for traffic control and crowd management, and CCTV feed sent from different districts to the command and control centre at the headquarters in Gandhinagar will be monitored by senior officials
“We have made all arrangements for the December 31 celebrations, whether it is regarding women’s protection, drugs and liquor prohibition, traffic control and crowd management,” he said.
Maharashtra
The police here will go for single-use tubes on breathalysers to detect drunk drivers during New Year celebrations, ensuring that the exercise does not spread Covid-19. The police department in Maharashtra had halted the use of breathalysers in March 2020 after the coronavirus outbreak. The city police will now bring back the devices to keep a watch on drunken driving. As many as 5,000 police and traffic personnel will be deployed across the city including major points ahead of the New Year revelry.
In Mumbai, police have tightened security across the city including at popular destinations like the Gateway of India, Juhu beach, Marine Drive, and Girgaum Chowpatty. A man was also arrested from Mumbai for allegedly threatening bomb blasts at some places on New Years Eve.
A total of 10,000 police constables, 1,500 officers, 25 deputy commissioners of police and seven additional commissioners of police have been deployed to maintain law and order. Further, 46 platoons of the state reserve police force (SRPF), three units of the riot control police and 15 quick response teams (QRT) are also deployed.
Pondicherry
Puducherry has been witnessing steady inflow of large number of tourists from different states to celebrate the New Year. Police presence has been strengthened at various points to ensure that New Year celebrations go off peacefully. A big chunk of the city close to the seashore has been barricaded. Managements of temples have announced holding of special rituals to the presiding deities in the shrines on Sunday.
West Bengal
Lakhs of people visited tourist spots such as Alipore Zoo, Victoria Memorial and Indian Museum in Kolkata, Eco Park in New Town, Bandel church in Hooghly district and Mukutmanipur in Bankura district. Crowds were also drawn to handicraft and music fairs in the city, while many visited seaside resorts such as Digha and Mandarmani in Purba Medinipur and Bakkhali in South 24 Parganas and others organised picnics at riverbanks.
Major thoroughfares of the city were manned by police personnel, who implemented traffic restrictions, as crowds swelled as the evening progressed.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on the eve of New Year, appealed to the people to remain vigilant and adhere to the COVID-19 protocol in view of the surge in Coronavirus cases in some countries.
Odisha
Adequate security arrangements have been put in place at the Shree Jagannath Mandir in Odisha’s Puri in view of the New Year celebrations. With massive gathering expected at the 12th-century shrine on New Year’s eve, a traffic advisory was issued, Puri Superintendent of Police Kunwar Vishal Singh said. The New Year’s congregation at the temple is being allowed after a gap of two years.
“More than 60 platoons of policemen and 200 officers have been deployed in and around the temple. Hundreds of lifeguards will also be stationed at the designated bathing points along the beach,” Singh told PTI
Rajasthan
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Jaipur North) Paris Anil Deshmukh said additional police personnel have been deployed at tourist spots in view of the heavy rush. “Elaborate security arrangements at tourists destinations have been made and additional home guards and personnel of the Rajasthan armed constabulary have been deployed to thwart any untoward incident,” he said.
Delhi
People thronged the newly-christened Kartavya Path, earlier called Kartavya Path on New Year’s eve. Many were seen taking selfies and getting their pictures clicked to remember the day.
Traffic will be restricted at Connaught Place from 8 pm Saturday, they said, adding alcometers will be used to check drunk driving. Officials had earlier announced over 16,500 personnel will be deployed across the city on Saturday in view of the New Year celebrations. More than 20 companies from outside forces will be deployed in different districts.
With a focus on drunk driving, 125 spots of drunk driving have been identified in the city for taking strict action against those driving under the influence alcohol. This time, the national capital will also see anti-terror measures in high footfall areas. Local police, in real-time coordination with the Special Cell, will monitor the situation. Officials said women safety will be the focus area of police and more than 2,500 women personnel will be deployed in the city.
Uttar Pradesh
Preempting a heavy footfall on the new year in Ayodhya, police have increased security and marshalled other resources for better crowd control. “On the basis of reports from different government departments, we are prepared to manage the crowd of 50 lakh devotees in Ayodhya on the first day of the new year,” Senior Superintendent of Police Muniraj told PTI. “Required route diversions have also been put in place and we have deployed additional force to professionally manage the movement of pilgrims round-the-clock,” the officer added.
Jharkhand
The administration has urged revellers to adhere to Covid protocols in the wake of rising cases in some countries. he tourism department has also deputed ‘Prayatak Mitras’ (tourist helpers) at various places in the state.
Besides, the government has ensured adequate deployment of security personnel, drone surveillance and availability of divers at the tourist spots, the official said. “No specific guideline for Covid-19 has been issued, but we urge people to take precautionary measures like wearing masks at crowded places and hand sanitisation,” State Tourism Secretary Manoj Kumar told PTI. The Jharkhand Prayatan Suraksha Samiti (JPSS), an association of the ‘Prayatak Mitras’, has been discouraging consumption of liquor, use of plastic and thermocol-made items and loud sound systems around the waterfalls, its president Raj Kishor Prasad told PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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