Uttarakhand police have made elaborate security arrangements for Ardh Kumbh Mela scheduled to begin from January 1, 2016 in Haridwar.
A total of 70 companies of Provincial Armed Force (PAC) and Central Para-military Forces (CPMF) and 6,000 civil police, 12, 00 home guards, nine bomb -disposal squads, eight dog- squads, 20 mounted police squads will be pressed in for peaceful completion of the mega event in the State. The forces will be deployed in four phases. Drone or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and jammers will also be pressed in from mid- January as police officers concerned are giving final shape to procure these items under State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) funds, by end of this month, said State additional director general of police (administration) Ram Singh Meena.
All preparations related to Ardh Kumbh Mela have almost been completed, he said, adding that police forces have started arriving at their assigned posts. In view of crores of pilgrims expected to take dip in Ganga during Ardh Kumbh Mela, police are on maximum alert to stave off terror or other threats, he said. Deputy inspector general of police (DIG- Kumbh) GS Martolia said that Ardh Kumbh begins from January 1 and will conclude on April 22.
A total of 32 companies of CRPF will be deployed from Central Government while 12 companies of PAC from Uttar Pradesh, 20 mounted police squad from Uttar Pradesh, five bomb disposal squads from BSF, three BDS from SSB and one BDS from Army would be stationed. Besides, eight dog squads from Uttarakhand would be pressed into service to ensure fool-proof security. These forces will be deployed in Haridwar in four phases- November, December, January and April. Ardh Kumbh mela has been divided into nine zones and 32 sectors and adequate police forces will be deployed in each of the zones, Martolia said.
A total of 32 police stations, 27 fire stations and five police lines have been erected. Ardh Kumbh Mela area covers four police stations- Kankhal, Bahadrabad, Shyampur and Kotwali- in Haridwear district, Raiwala police station in Dehradun and Muni- ki- Rati police station in Tehri district and lakshman Jhula police station in Pauri, he added.