The central Delhi has been put under a heavy security cover in view of the farmers' protest, with personnel in anti-riot gears deployed strategically and metal and concrete barricades regulating access to several key roads, causing hardship to commuters. Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora visited the Tikri border on Tuesday to inspect the security arrangements put in place in view of the farmers' march to the national capital.

Arora was accompanied by Special Commissioner, Law and Order, Madhup Tiwari and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Jimmy Chiram. According to officials, more than 5,000 personnel of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border areas to maintain law and order.

As the Delhi Police prepares to stop protesting farmers from entering the national capital, a senior officer directed personnel on ground that they "need not be defensive" if the agitators show aggression.  Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ravindra Yadav, who visited the fortified Singhu border this evening, told police personnel and paramilitary jawans deployed there that if the farmers manage to enter Delhi "our whole operation will fail". He told the forces they need to act "logically" and by keeping their safety in mind. "If they are coming aggressively, we have to show more aggression. Then only we can stop them. If they are aggressive, we need not be defensive," he told them using a microphone and loudspeaker.

"We have to fire tear gas shells, use lathis (baton) and save ourselves," the senior officer said. "This process may keep running for a day."  The main objective of the police is to stop the farmers from entering Delhi, Yadav said, adding they cannot be allowed to disturb law and order or indulge in violence.

According to Delhi police, the security arrangements are part of "Plan B" to deal with any situation in case the protesting farmers, who are marching towards the national capital from the neighbouring states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, entered the city and tried to reach Parliament.

All Parliament gates have been barricaded and extra security personnel including from the paramilitary forces deployed around the building. The barricades installed near Parliament have been fitted with barred wire on top.

Elaborate security arrangements have also been made at the Lok Kalyan Marg, where prime minister's residence is located, and the residences of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda.

Apart from sealing three borders of Delhi -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- the Delhi Police has put up multiple layers of barricading at various roads leading to the Parliament and the central part of Delhi.

Arrangements have been made at the Vikas Marg -- that connects east Delhi to the central part of the national capital -- to place cement barricades and sand-loaded dumpers at the centre of the road.

National Highway-9, heading towards Akshardham from Ghazipur, has been barricaded with cranes and heavy earthmovers.

The police intensified the checking of vehicles to identify protestors trying to enter Delhi in commercial or private vehicles.

The outer ring road heading to the Red Fort has also been barricaded as police did not want to any take chances. During their last protest, a group of agitating farmers had barged into the central part of Delhi on January 26, 2021, creating a ruckus on the Republic Day.

The Delhi Police on Monday imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the entire city and completely secured its borders.

Surveillance equipment such as drones and CCTV cameras are being utilised to monitor the border areas.

A police officer said section 144 has already been imposed all around the Delhi barring large gatherings and protests in the city."If anyone tries to gather or hold any kind of demonstration in the central part of Delhi, they will be dealt with strictly," a police officer said.

As precautionary measures, some entry and exit gates of select Metro stations near important installations in central Delhi have been shut. The gate number 1,2 and 5 of central secretariat were among them.The other stations are Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Janpath, Barakhamba Road and Khan Market.