Though bars, restaurants and pubs are not allowed to remain open after 11pm in Mumbai on New Year’s Eve, and public curfew will start from that time, 35,000 policemen will be deployed across the city to disperse the crowds and maintain physical distancing.
The Mumbai Police have started preparing for the New Year by putting measures in place to maintain social distancing and dispersing crowds at places where the public mostly gathers on New Year’s Eve.
Drones will also be used to check people’s movement and suspicious activity, if any. Night curfew, already imposed from 11pm, will remain in force. This, despite the fact that no bar, restaurant or pub has been given permission to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
Policemen will be posted at beaches in plainclothes to maintain law and order, said a senior police officer. All police personnel have been instructed to compulsorily wear face masks during duty and to try and not be in close proximity of people while performing their duty unless required, said deputy commissioner of police S Chaitanya, PRO, Mumbai Police.
Weekly offs and holidays have been cancelled for all, from senior police officials to the members of constabulary/ All personnel will be on bandobast duty staring December 28 to January 1, said the officer.
Besides, more than three companies of state reserve police force (SRPF) and 600 home guards will help the city police during the period. Extra force will be deployed to keep a watch at beaches, gardens, promenades and building terraces, added the official.
From Thursday evening to Friday morning, security personnel, including members of SRPF, Anti-Terrorism Cell and the riot control police, will be posted on roads and railway stations.
“We will not restrict people from coming out from their houses to celebrate New Year’s Eve but they should not come out in groups of more than four, as already night curfew is imposed and the celebration should wind up by 11pm due to curfew,” added Patil.
The police will set up checkpoints at busy junctions and barricade highways to monitor motorists, said another official, adding that action will be taken against drunk drivers and eve teasers.
Every police station has been instructed to keep check on people who have come from outside Mumbai and especially from abroad, and on hotels and the occupants of rented premises. Anti-sabotage measures are in place, while Quick Response Teams (QRT) units will be stationed strategically for immediate response, said Chaitanya.
