Bengaluru: Silicon City Bengaluru is gearing up for New Year celebrations as the countdown to welcome 2025 begins.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for celebrations across the city. The iconic M.G. Road and Brigade Road have been beautifully decorated and are all set for the festivities.
Every year, over a lakh people gather in this part of the city between 11 p.m. and midnight to welcome the new year. Elaborate security measures have been put in place by the government and the police department to ensure safety during the event.
More than 2,000 police personnel, including both men and women, will be deployed to monitor security in the M.G. Road, Brigade Road, and Church Street areas.
Special lighting arrangements have already been set up on Brigade Road, Church Street, Indiranagar, HSR Layout and Koramangala. Pubs, restaurants, clubs, recreation centres, and malls across the city have also made special preparations to welcome revellers.
The police department is considering deploying over 1,000 additional personnel in the upscale Koramangala locality, which predominantly houses the techie population.
A mini control room has been established to monitor CCTV footage, and 150 additional cameras have been installed at sensitive locations.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand has announced that all flyovers in the city will be closed as a preventive measure.
Metro services will operate until 2 a.m. to help people return home safely, and buses will also run from M.G. Road after midnight until 2 a.m.
Metro authorities have taken steps to monitor commuter movement closely and have decided to impose fines on those indulging in indecent behaviour. The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has announced that a fine of Rs 500 will be imposed on individuals who harass women, and such offenders will be handed over to the police.
Security personnel will be deployed in every metro coach to ensure passenger safety.
The police department has taken additional measures to ensure the safety of women during the celebrations. The Rani Chennamma Special Squad will be on duty to maintain vigilance and protect women.
Additionally, 12 safety islands have been established for women. Watchtowers have been set up, and healthcare facilities will be made available to the public during the celebration.
–IANS