In view of the New Year's Eve celebrations, security was beefed up on Wednesday with deployment of additional police forces at various places, especially in and around the tourist spots spread across Dehradun.
The Dehradun district administration issued around 70 licences to owners of restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs, allowing them to keep their bars open for the day to facilitate the celebrations, said Additional DM Jharna Kamthan. The excise department on its part has issued around 20 such licences, charging Rs 2,000 from the applicants each. The district entertainment department has released around 50 such licences to the owners of hotels and restaurants for December 31 revelry. Applicants are issued licences after receiving no-objection certificates from the department of police, fire and district administration.
Vikasnagar Circle Officer SK Singh said that elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful New Year celebrations. Police patrolling has been intensified on routes leading to the tourist destinations in view of an expected large tourist turnout. Tourists will not be allowed to break traffic rules. An order has been issued to the station police officers to be vigilant over New Year's Eve parties in the hotels and ensure that such parties are held after no-objection certificate is obtained from local police station.
He said that traffic policemen, equipped with alcometers, have been deputed at different intersections on the roads that lead to the tourist destinations. Drunk driving will not be allowed and violators would invite stringent punishment. Apart from this, police would keep round-the-clock vigil to stop any person from violating the laws on the roads or while partying in hotels or restaurants during the celebration, he added.
Singh further said that the station police officers have been directed to take necessary steps for resolving traffic jams in their jurisdiction. Police barricading has been established at important places to resolve traffic pileups and to keep watch on the tourists. The policemen have been directed to be vigilant on rash riding, drunken driving, overloading, unauthorised parking, helmetless driving, vehicles driven without number plates and some others and to impose challans on the traffic violators, he added.