Facial Recognition, drones & 4-layer security: Delhi Police gears up for Republic Day

Multi-layered security layout will be in place for the Republic Day celebrations on Sunday, said Delhi Police. Units like National Security Guard (NSG), Special Protection Group (SPG) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will work in close coordination to maintain vigil, added the officials.

"The police will be placing a multi-layered security lay-out in connection with the Republic Day celebrations. Necessary liaison and rehearsals have been made with other units like the NSG, SPG and  ITBP. All the agencies will be working in close coordination with each other," Delhi Police said in a statement.

Along with this, SWAT teams will be activated and strategically stationed in specific locations with the Facial Recognition System of the Delhi Police at vantage points to identify suspects, the police informed.

"We have a four-layer security arrangement. Inner, middle, outer and one along the border areas across the national capital," DCP (New Delhi Zone) Eish Singhal told PTI, adding that drones will be also deployed.

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To facilitate internal mobilisation, an additional 48 companies consisting of 22,000 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel in uniform and civil clothes have also been deployed by Delhi Police.

On Friday, Delhi Police had said that thorough foot patrolling at malls and border picket checking was being carried out.

"Ahead of the Republic Day, intensive foot patrolling at malls, strong vigil from morchas in markets and border picket checking were carried out. Private security guards deployed at malls were also briefed to be a part of the security apparatus."

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Instructions and advisories

• As part of the security arrangements, the Delhi Metro services will be partially curtailed on Sunday, the Delhi Police instructed.
• Metro schedules of Line 2 i.e. HUDA City Centre to Samaypur Badli, and Line 6 i.e. Kashmere Gate to Raja Nahar Singh, have been modified for the Republic Day.
• Entry and exit at Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations will remain closed till 12 noon. Additionally, metro parking lots will remain closed from 6 am on January 25 to 2 pm on January 26.
• In view of widespread protests in the national capital, the officials have imposed restrictions on wearing black caps or scarves during Republic Day celebrations. 

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• A traffic advisory has also been issued about the elaborate arrangement for route diversions on Republic Day. No traffic will be allowed on Rajpath from Vijay Chowk to India Gate from 6 pm on Saturday till the parade gets over on Sunday.
• Flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms like para-gliders, para-motors, hang gliders, UAVs, UASs, microlight aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft, hot air balloons, small size powered aircraft, quadcopters or para jumping from aircraft is prohibited as per the advisory.
• It asked people to report to the nearest police station in case any unidentified object or suspicious person is seen.

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(With inputs from Agencies)