Cops set a theme for a friendly, polite, courteous Dasara

The Police department, which is often criticised for turning the Dasara celebrations into ‘Police Dasara’, has this year adopted a ‘friendly, polite and courteous’ theme for making security arrangements in the various venues for the festivities.

Addressing a media conference here on Tuesday, Police Commissioner A Subrahmanyeswara Rao said that elaborate arrangements have been made at vantage points across the city for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the 10-day Dasara festivities, beginning from September 21.

“As a large number of tourists and visitors are expected to converge on the city during the Dasara season, which coincides with long weekends like during Vijayadashami, the day of the grand finale, when the Jamboo Savari procession is taken out, fool-proof security will be in place,” he said.

“While over 3,500 police personnel would be deputed across the city under the first phase, another 1,500 personnel will be added in the second stage. On Vijayadashami, September 30, 1,600 Home Guards will join to assist the police personnel. Besides, 70 commandos from the immediate backup support (IBUS) and City Commando Force, 60 parties from the KSRP, CAR and DAR units, 49 personnel from the anti-sabotage squad, dog squads and bomb detection and disposal squads will be deployed,” he added.

A total of 10 Superintendents of Police, three ACPs, 37 DySPs, 111 inspectors, 257 sub-inspectors, 360 ASIs, 3,190 head constables and constables, and 307 WPCs will be part of the civil police force. A total of 781 traffic police personnel, including a DCP, one ACP and two DySPs, 14 inspectors, 37 PSIs, and 106 ASIs, will streamline the traffic flow. A separate contingent of 56 personnel, including four ACPs and eight DySPs, headed by a DCP, will take care of VIP security.

Rao said, while all important junctions in the city have been equipped with CCTV cameras, an additional 66 CCTV cameras would be in place on the Raja Marga, the path of the Jamboo Savari, from the Mysore Palace up to Bannimantapa, for 10 days. Besides, footage from all CCTV cameras installed by the respective sub-committees at the venues of various Dasara events would be closely monitored by the police personnel as a precautionary measure. Like in the previous years, only one-way traffic will be allowed around the Palace and the surrounding roads. In view of decongesting the Chamundi Hill, it would be a no-vehicle zone from September 22 to 24 and from September 28 to October 2.

All private vehicles will have to be parked on the Lalitha Mahal Palace helipad. The visitors can take free shuttles provided by the KSRTC toChamundi Hill, the commissioner said.

He said, “The use of drone cameras is banned and an official drone will be used by the Police department as a precautionary measure to ensure law and order along the Jamboo Savari route. The drone would be borrowed from the Ballari District Police.” DCP (law and order) N Vishnuvardhan and DCP (crime and traffic) Dr Vikram Amte were present in the press meet.

Despite the briefings by the Commissioner about the arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the Dasara, people who have been watching the conduct of the police over the years are skeptical about any positive outcome. “The police personnel fill the premises of the Palace with their family members and friends. So, they deter the entry of the people, sometimes even those who posses valid pass for entry,” said a former corporator.

He said, “While the police personnel, who have complete control over all entry points, check the passage of every possible visitor, to both the Palace and the Bannimantapa Stadium, for the Jamboo Savari and Torch Light Parade respectively, their department cars, jeeps, vans and buses ferry people jam-packed to these venues. Their vehicles ply undeterred and the occupants do not need any pass for entry.”