Capital under multi-layered, ground-to-air security cover for Republic Day celebrations

With 71st Republic Day celebrations set to begin shortly, entire national capital has been put under a multi-layered, ground-to-air security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil over it, including celebration venue Rajpath.

Aided by dozens of drones in air and hundreds of CCTV cameras and facial recognition devices, besides several anti-aircraft guns on ground, security personnel are keeping a hawk-eye over Rajpath, where President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be celebrating occasion along with chief guest, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and or dignitaries, besides thousands of citizens.

Over ten thousand security personnel have been deployed to keep vigil over Republic Day celebrations on Sunday, said officials. Sharpshooters and snipers have been deployed atop high-rise buildings to keep watch on eight-km-long pare route from Rajpath to Red Fort, y said.

celebration venue Rajpath will remain inaccessible to general traffic till 12 on, till when entry and exit gates of Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk and Lok Kalyan Marg metro stations too will remain closed, beginning from 8.45 am. Delhi police has also installed its facial recognition devices at all entry gates of R-Day celebration venue to identify miscreants and suspects, said officials.

Special security arrangements have been me for Brazilian President Bolsonaro, who is chief guest for Republic Day pare, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal h said earlier. More than 2,000 Traffic Police personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth flow of traffic and facilitate spectators reach venue. Hundreds of CCTV cameras too have been installed as part of security arrangements, including at least 150 cameras in areas covering Red Fort, Chandni Chowk and Yamuna Khar, y said.

"We have a four-layered security arrangement. Inner, middle, outer and one along border areas across national capital," said Singhal, ding drones have also been deployed to aid and assist security personnel on ground and give feed to m on general and security scenario around m.

"Around 5,000 to 6,000 Delhi police personnel have been deployed in New Delhi district along with 50 companies of paramilitary forces," he ded.

With Republic Day celebration being held within a fortnight of upcoming Delhi assembly elections, police personnel have even orwise been on alert, official said. police have alrey been undertaking various security measures, including anti-terror ones, like checking people and vehicles entering Delhi, intensified patrolling of malls and markets and enhancing security cover of vital installations, besides intensifying regular verifications of tenant and servants, officials said.

police have also asked hotels, taxi and auto drivers to remain alert. In view of heightened security, patrolling in public places has been intensified.

"We have intensified patrolling in public places. Group patrolling and vehicle checking is being carried out with help of Central Armed Police Forces. Frisking at metro stations, railway stations, airport and bus terminals has also been intensified," a senior police official said.

Apart from securing celebration venue Rajpath, equate security and traffic arrangements for 'At Home' function at Rashtrapati Bhavan too have been me. security personnel have identified vulnerable spots such as crowded markets, railway stations, bus stands and or high-value establishments, where extra police personnel have been deployed.

A traffic visory has also been issued about elaborate arrangement route diversions on Sunday, as per which traffic was allowed on Rajpath from Vijay Chowk to India Gate since 6 pm on Saturday, officials said, ding ban will continue till pare gets over on Sunday.

Flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms like para-gliders, para-motors, unmanned aerial vehicles, microlight aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft, hot air balloons, small-size powered aircraft, qucopters or para jumping from aircraft have been prohibited over jurisdiction of city till February 15, according to an visory. It has also asked people to report to nearest police station in case y see any unidentified object or suspicious person.

(Im Credits: PTI)