The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Elaborate security to be in place for Deepavali

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Saturday, Oct 23, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Elaborate security to be in place for Deepavali

To check crimes, regulate movement of pedestrians and vehicles, writes R.Rajaram

With Deepavali around the corner, the city police have drawn up a bandobust scheme to be put in place in the coming days to check crimes and regulate movement of pedestrians and vehicles.

The city's prime business areas falling under the Fort Range, which will attract huge crowd for the ensuing festival, will come under enhanced vigil as part of the plan that will come into force from November 1 . Surveillance cameras in the commercial areas of NSB Road, West Boulevard Road and Big Bazaar Street will be reactivated in addition to deployment of policemen and officers at vantage points. Three watch towers would be erected along the NSB Road - at Raghunath junction, Rockfort Temple entrance and Main Guard Gate.

Three mobile patrols would be deployed exclusively for the Fort Range to cover Gandhi Market, Big Bazaar Street, Main Guard Gate, Madurai Road, West Boulevard Road and NSB Road which are dotted with business and commercial establishments.

Six crime teams would be constituted, each comprising 12 men and headed by an inspector. They would be deployed in the business nerve centres and at bus stands to keep tabs on habitual offenders and ward off crimes such as chain snatchings and baggage lifting. The team members in plainclothes would be on the move in the areas assigned to them. They would also travel in town buses in different routes within the city limit.

Police sources say pickets would be posted at vulnerable areas and the assistance of National Service Scheme volunteers, National Cadet Corps cadets and members of Home Guards would be utilised to regulate crowd and vehicular movements.

A senior police officer here said the Bishop Heber Higher Secondary School, Teppakulam; Fort Railway Station Road, St. Joseph's College ground and a portion of the District Central Library land near Singarathope have been identified as temporary parking lots.

Licences having been given to 90 shops in the city to sell crackers this year and instructions have been given to the Assistant Commissioners of Police to physically verify shops falling under their respective jurisdiction and ensure that licence conditions are strictly adhered to.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) authorities said special checks would be conducted on board trains and also at Tiruchi railway junction to prevent transportation of fire crackers and other inflammable articles to ensure safety. Pamphlets would be distributed to travellers advising them to desist from carrying fire crackers and inflammable materials in trains.

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