Bengaluru: The countdown to the New Year has begun, and as a precaution, the police have sounded high alert all over the city. City police commissioner B Dayanand personally inspected the final stage of security arrangements in Silicon City and gave advice and instructions to the officials.
To ring in the New Year, over seven lakh footfalls are expected this time and the home department sent instructions to Bengaluru Police to take precautions to prevent any untoward incidents. New Year celebrations are allowed for the public till 1 am and 11,830 personnel, including police, home guards and civil defence personnel have been deployed across the city.
This also includes two additional commissioners, a joint commissioner, 15 DCPs, 44 ACPs, 135 inspectors, 530 sub-inspectors, 655 assistant sub-inspectors, 4,833 constables, 1,048 women personnel, 597 Mufti personnel, 3,170 home guards, 800 civil defence personnel. In addition, 72 KSRP contingents have been deployed.
Action for Indecent Behaviour
Speaking to the media, Dayanand said like every year, police arrangements have been made all over the city. This time, 300 temporary CCTVs have been installed on MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street instead of the scheduled ones. Respective departmental officials have been asked to closely monitor security. The public should celebrate the New Year peacefully and it should be held only within the specified time. Action will be taken against those found behaving indecently.
Women and Children Safety
For women's safety, 114 kiosks manned by women officers and staff have been built at important places. In addition, 48 kiosks have been opened at strategic points where complaints related to missing children or any kind of theft can be reported and health service centres have been opened at 54 places. A total of 817 CCTV surveillance units have been set up at places where public celebrations are held.
"I visited various parts of the city and inspected the police security arrangements there in anticipation of the New Year celebrations to be held tomorrow," the CP wrote on X.
ನಾಳೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿರುವ ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷಾಚರಣೆ ನಿಮಿತ್ತ ನಗರದ ವಿವಿಧ ಭಾಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಚರಿಸಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿದೆ. #HappyNewYear2025 pic.twitter.com/rRtj2opANM
— CP Bengaluru ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಆಯುಕ್ತ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು (@CPBlr) December 30, 2024
Restrictions on Metro Entry
Last year, the MG Road metro station saw a huge crowd, leading to a rush. Alarmed by this, police have banned exits from the MG Road metro station from 11 pm to 2 am this time. Only those arriving from different parts of the city will be allowed to get off and those leaving can use Trinity Circle and Cubbon Park metro stations instead of the MG Road.
Eye on Rave Parties, Drug Dealing
Special operations have been carried out across the city since the first week of December to control the supply of drugs and rave parties during the New Year celebrations, leading to the arrest of 73 accused including three foreign drug peddlers and the registration of 54 cases and seizure of drugs worth Rs 25.20 crores.
Traffic Police Action
Bengaluru Traffic Police imposed a ban on the movement of all vehicles on all flyovers in the city (except the flyover connecting to the international airport) from 11 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1. The movement of two-wheelers will be restricted on the flyover connecting to the international airport from 10 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1.
Police said vehicles parked in places other than the designated areas will be towed away. People coming to participate in the celebrations are requested to use public transport such as Metro, BMTC, KSRTC, autos or cabs instead of taking their own vehicles. Entry of vehicles other than police and emergency services has been restricted in MG Road, Brigade Road, Koramangala, 100 Feet Road in Indiranagar and other places where large numbers of people gather from 8 pm on December 31 to 2 am on January 1.
A Decorated Bengaluru
Important landmarks like MG Road, Brigade Road, Indiranagar, Koramangala, Electronic City, Whitefield and Marathahalli roads have been bedecked with electric lights. Along with hotels, pubs, homestays, corporate and home parties are also being organised. Buildings and trees on Brigade Road and Church Street have been specially decorated with electric lights. Sets that facilitate parties have been installed in hotels. In addition, inquiries are being made about organising parties in pubs and restaurants and bookings are being made.
Public Transportation
For the ease of revellers, BMTC is operating buses from MG Road to various parts of the city from 11 pm to 2 am and Metro services have been extended. The last train on the Purple and Green lines will leave terminal stations at 2 am on January 1. The last train from Majestic will leave for all four directions at 2.40 am. There will be a train every 10 minutes from 11 pm to 2.40 am.
Restriction on V-Mask
Dayanand said the use of loud noises and wearing V-masks should not be allowed during celebrations. In some recent programs, people were seen using loud pipes, annoying others. Similarly, the use of V-masks is likely to scare others, especially women and children. Wearing masks makes it difficult to recognise faces.
Drink-and-drive Case
The traffic police have intensified operations a week in advance to curb those who drink and drive and rash drivers on the pretext of New Year celebrations. Last week, 95,179 motorists were checked under the jurisdiction of 50 traffic police stations out of which 1,187 drivers were booked for drunk driving. About 165 motorists have been booked for speeding, and a fine of Rs. 1.65 lakh has been collected from them. Checkpoints have been set up at various places to check those driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs during at night. Strict action will be taken against overspeeding and wheeling/drag races, M N Anucheth, joint commissioner of traffic (Bangalore), said.
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