New Year celebration up to 1 am: Bengaluru police announce guidelines

BENGALURU: City Police Commissioner B Dayananda on Tuesday issued guidelines for New Year celebrations and said strict measures have been taken for the safety of citizens, with women and children being a priority. The commissioner requested citizens to celebrate New Year peacefully without causing trouble.

Speaking at a press meet said, the police chief said celebrations will be allowed till 1 am on January 1. “More emphasis will be given to the safety of women, and watch towers will be erected. Installation of CCTV cameras has been done at important places to watch over the revellers. The department will keep a close watch on drug peddlers and conduct a special drive ahead of the celebrations. Checks for drunk driving have been going on for the past week. Pubs and clubs should only entertain patrons as per their seatign capacity. If they violate, strict action will be taken against the owners”, he said.

For the New Year celebration, some places are likely to be crowded, including MG Road, Brigade Road, St Mark’s Road, Cubbon Park, Trinity Circle, Phoenix Mall, Koramangala, Indiranagar 100 Ft Road. Major star hotels, pubs, and clubs will have to have appropriate security points to control the crowd. Namma Metro will be closed from 11 pm to 2 am and all flyovers will be closed, except for the Airport Road elevated road.

Women’s Safety Islands will be set up at several places and women officers and staff will be deployed at major locations. A total of 3,000 police officers and personnel including 10 ACPs, 30 police inspectors, will be deployed at Brigade Road-MG road, Opera Junction, Richmond Road and Residency Road.

Discussions will be also held with BBMP, Namma Metro, BMTC, Excise department, Health Department, Fire station, Pollution Control Board, BMRCL, Bescom. Police security will be tightened at MG Road, Brigade Road, Cubbon Park, Trinity, Phoenix Mall, clubs.

Police kiosks have been set up in strategic areas to address cases of missing children, any kind of theft, or emergencies, the police commissioner said.

Observation towers will be installed for surveillance in highly crowded places, and binoculars will be provided to officers on duty. On December 31 night, vehicular movements will be restricted on Brigade Road, and the public can enter only by walking. The MG Road Metro Station will be closed from 11 pm to 2 am to avoid any rush. Hence, the public is requested to opt for Trinity and Cubbon Park Metro stations while returning. Additional CCTV cameras will be installed at key locations, along with drone cameras being operated, he added.

Vehicular traffic will be prohibited from 8 pm on December 31 to 1 am on January 1 on:

1. MG Road from Anil Kumble Circle to Residency Road Junction near Mayo Hall

2. On Brigade Road, from Cauvery Emporium Junction to Opera Junction.

3. On Church Street, from Brigade Road Junction to Museum Road Junction.

4. On Museum Road, from MG Road Action to Old Madras Bank Road (SBI) Circle.

5. On Rest House Road, from Museum Road Junction to Brigade Road Junction.

6. At Residency Cross Road, from Residency Road Junction to MG Road (Shankar Nag Cinema Theatre)

Parking for police vehicles and on-duty emergency service vehicles on following roads from 4 pm on December 31 to 3 pm on January 31.

1. On MG Raod, from Anil Kumble Circle to Trinity Circle.

2 On Brigade Road, from Arts and  Craft Junction up to Opera Junction

3 On Church Street, from Brigade Road Junction to St Mark’s Road Junction

4 On Rest House Road, from Brigade Road Junction up to Museum Road Junction.

5 Museum Road from MG Road junction up to Old Madras Bank Road (SBI) Circle

Traffic diversion:

1. Vehicles going from Halasur Road towards Contonment Road will have to take a right turn at Trinity Circle and proceed to Halasur Road via Deccan Road and join Cubbon Road.

2. On Kamaraja Road, vehicular parking is provided from Cubbon Road Junction to Commercial Street Junction.

3. Public can also park their vehicles at the ground-floor parking lot of Shivajinagar BMTC Shopping Complex.

4. Pedestrians can only use footpath from MG Road Junction towards Opera Junction on Brigade Road. Going in the opposite direction is prohibited. If the public wants to return to Residency Road, they can come via Residency Road-Residency Road Cross (Shankarnag Theatre).