CM Siddaramaiah orders stringent security measures for New Year celebrations in Bengaluru

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed police and other departments to enforce stringent security measures to ensure that no untoward incidents occur during New Year celebrations in Bengaluru.

Chairing a high-level meeting with senior police and departmental officials on Monday, the Chief Minister reviewed the precautionary arrangements being put in place across the city.

Emphasising women’s safety, Mr. Siddaramaiah instructed officials to take preventive steps and ensure that celebrations take place without any incidents involving harassment or violence against women.

To facilitate safe travel after celebrations, he directed the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to operate a large number of buses after midnight so that people can return home conveniently.

The Chief Minister also ordered special measures for crowd management at key locations including M.G. Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, Koramangala, and Indiranagar, and stressed the effective use of modern technology to prevent stampedes or other mishaps.

As part of the security plan, 20,000 police personnel will be deployed across Bengaluru, including 1,200 policemen roped in from other districts. He instructed that women police personnel be deployed in larger numbers and that ‘Chennamma Teams’ be actively utilised.

The officials said that the city has been equipped with four control rooms, 78 watch towers, 164 women help desks, and 55 ambulances to manage emergencies. Over the last three days alone, the police have registered 3,500 drink-and-drive cases.

In a bid to prevent accidents, two-wheeler movement will be prohibited on 50 flyovers in the city on New Year’s Eve.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Naseer Ahmed, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, Director-General and Inspector-General of Police M.A. Saleem, Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, and other senior police officials.

Traffic restrictions

The movement of vehicles on M.G. Road, Brigade Road, St. Marks Road, Resthouse Road, and Residency road has been restricted on Wednesday night till Thursday morning.

All types of vehicles are prohibited on all over bridges in the city (except the flyover leading to the International Airport).

The movement of two-wheelers is also prohibited on the flyover road of the International Airport from 10 p.m. on December 31 to 6 a.m. on January 1.

To prevent the movement of heavy goods vehicles in the Central Business District area, diversions will be made at Old Udaya TV Junction, Khode, Townhall Junction, Chalukya Junction, Domlur, and Mehkri Circles.