The Bengaluru police have announced a slew of safety and security measures, including traffic advisories, to be followed on December 31 in view of the New Year celebrations.
Bengaluru Police commissioner CH Pratap Reddy said on Thursday that restaurants, pubs, resorts and hotels are allowed to conduct New Year celebrations only till 1 am. Any establishment found violating the direction would be booked.
Further, loudspeakers and music systems will be allowed only till 12 am for those who have taken prior permission. The commissioner stated that decibel levels in various areas of Bengaluru will be monitored by noise pollution committees under ACPs.
He also informed that around 5,200 civil police personnel, along with 4,000 traffic police personnel, will be deployed across the city. They will also install additional CCTV cameras and 20 drone cameras to monitor crowded places. There are already 1,70,000 CCTV installed across the city.
Additionally, the police said that drunk and drive tests would be conducted extensively in the city. They appealed to the public that if in a group, at least one person who is driving should abstain from consuming alcohol.
Asserting that the safety and security of women and children is a priority for the police, Reddy said that women's safety islands will be set up in crowded places and guarded by women police personnel. There will also be watch towers where huge gatherings are expected.
"Our priority is to ensure women and children safety and crackdown on miscreants who indulge in molesting and physical abuse. For easy identification, we have also directed all restaurants, pubs, hotels to scan the guests with their masks off. Besides, if people witness any sort of illegal activities such as supply of drugs, other banned products and unattended objects, they are directed to inform the local police personnel or report it by dialing 112," the commissioner was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Traffic restrictions
The traffic police have decided to restrict the movement of vehicles on MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, St Marks Road, Rest House Road and Residency Road on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.
In addition, from 8 pm on December 31 to 1 am on January 1, only police vehicles and vehicles of essential services on duty will be allowed to enter on MG Road, from Anil Kumble junction up to the junction on Residency Road near the Mayo Hall; Brigade Road, from Cauvery Emporium Jn. up to the Opera Junction; Church Street up to the junction of Museum road; Museum road, from its junction with MG Road upto its junction at Old Madras Bank road; Rest House road, from its junction on Museum road up to its junction on Brigade Road and Residency Cross Road up to MG Road (Shankarnag Theatre junction).
Parking restrictions have been imposed on all types of vehicles except police vehicles and vehicles of essential services from 2 pm to 3 am on MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, Rest House Road and Museum Road.
Pedestrians are allowed to walk from MG Road junction to Opera Junction but walking in the opposite direction is prohibited. If they want to reach MG Road, they can do so by proceeding via Residency Road cross (near Shankarnag Theatre cross).
Movement of vehicles on the flyovers (except the Hebbal flyover towards the airport) will be closed from 9 pm to 6 am.
