More cops, cameras, checks

Bengaluru City Police have beefed up security across all major junctions in the city for December 31.

The Bengaluru City Police are leaving nothing to chance this New Year’s eve and are making elaborate arrangements to ensure that Bengalureans party safe.

According to City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar, more than 20,000 police personnel from 165 police stations across the city will be on duty.

“We will be keeping a close watch on places where a large number of people gather. Spots like MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street will be under constant surveillance. Traffic movement on a few roads in the city will be stopped from 8 pm onwards and barricades will be put,” Suneel Kumar told Metrolife.

He also said that he has issued notices to all pub and restaurant owners to preserve their CCTV footages and deploy their own security personnel, including women.

“We have warned them that they will be held responsible if any crime takes place in and around their premises,” he adds. Suneel has also held a meeting with Ola and Uber aggregators and asked them to report any untoward incident.

The police are installing an additional 200 CCTV cameras at strategic points in the city and additional lights to make sure all stretches are lit up. “We will also be operating four drones. There will be four LED screens erected on Brigade Road. Drunk driving checks will be heightened,” he warns.

Increased police presence in city

Seemanth Kumar Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police (East zone), says that about 20,000 police personnel will be deployed in different parts of the city. “This includes all categories, including home guards, civil and reserve police, patrol bikes and Hoysala. There will be 15 watch towers and 60 podiums of three feet height in congested areas,” says Seemanth. He says that the podiums have been brought in to increase police visibility.

“A total of 500 four wheelers and 1,200 police bikes will be on constant rounds. Safety of women is top priority.”

Strict vigil by traffic police, says P Harishekaran, Additional Commissioner of police

- 2,000 officers will be deployed.

- Barricades will be placed in a zig-zag manner on Outer Ring Road to prevent fatal accidents due to over speeding.

- 25 check-posts and 100 drunk driving check points erected at major junctions. Drunk motorists will be videographed and evidence-based cases will be filed.

- Special teams have been attached to the six toll gates.

- All humps are being repainted, especially in accident-prone areas like international airport road, Toll gate to Devanahalli, Mysore Road, Tumakuru Road, NICE Road and Outer Ring Road.

Crime department to target rave parties, rowdies

S Girish, DCP (Crime), says the crime department will be concentrating on three things on December 31: Cracking down on rave parties, ensuring no live bands
perform and keeping a close watch on rowdy elements.

Girish says the police will raid places that host rave parties and encourage consumption of drugs. “We are in the process of collecting information about such places in the city,” he told Metrolife.

Places allowing live bands to perform in and around MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street will be asked to close down, he adds.

Adding that they will be closely monitoring the movement of rowdy elements, Girish points out, “We will keep an eye on the areas where they congregate such as Banashankari, Basavanagudi, Kanakapura Road, Chamrajpet, Laggere, Peenya, D J Halli, K G Halli and Shivajinagar. By rowdies, we mean the small timers who get drunk and create problems, attempt molestation and attack people without provocation.”

About 200 additional CCTV cameras have been installed by the Bengaluru City Police
across the city to ensure safety of women.

A word of caution for women from the City police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar

- Party only with known people

- Be careful while consuming liquor

- Do not accept drinks from unknown people

- Drink only from a bottle that is opened in front of you

- Avoid going around in the night

Cab drivers to seek police help in case of trouble

Tanveer Pasha, President of Ola, Taxi for Sure, Uber and Drivers and Owners Association, called for a meeting of the 11,000 cab drivers under his union and asked them to seek police intervention in case they are in some kind of trouble. “There have been times when customers have misbehaved with cab drivers. Sometimes men and women vomit in the car due to consumption of excess alcohol. They also leave without paying the driver. In such instances, we have asked the driver to report the incident to the police,” says
Tanveer. For any complaints regarding cab drivers call 9900596384.

In case of complaints, call these helplines

Autorickshaw drivers in the city have been warned not to overcharge and misbehave with the customers.

C Sampath, general secretary, Adarsha Auto Driver’s Union, says, “Autorickshaw drivers can charge one and a half times the meter fare after 10 pm on December 31 till 6 am on January 1. We have also asked them to be cautious with customers who are drunk; there have been instances where such customers have troubled the driver.”

In case of complaints regarding auto drivers: Airtel customers can

* Call 22868444, 2868550

* SMS to 52225

Non-Airtel customers can call 9663952225

200 traffic wardens on duty

Chief Traffic Warden, Dr Mohanan Nambiar, who has never missed his duty on New Year’s Eve for the last 20 years, says, “There will be around 200 traffic wardens on duty at junctions like Cubbon Road, MG road, Opera Circle, Web junction, Manipal Centre, Anil Kumble Circle and BRV Grounds.”
He points out that the wardens will be on duty from 6 pm on December 31 to 3 am on January 1.