The Delhi Police on Wednesday heightened security arrangements for Independence Day celebrations at the historical Red Fort in wake of terrorists striking crowded places worldwide.
The Delhi Police has hired two 101x HD cameras, which will cover the areas in and around the ramparts of the Red Fort. Taking cue from the recent terror attack in Nice of France where an over speeding truck mowed down scores of people, security agencies will be installing 35 tyre killers to curb vehicles from over-speeding in the areas around the Red Fort. Sources also said 1,800 points been identified and sealed. In addition to this 50 additional PCR vans will be deployed on the Prime Minister’s route.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, North, Madhur Verma, said they have hired two 101x zoom HD cameras, which will be placed at two point on the Red Fort. Each camera is worth more than Rs 1 crore and cover more than 5 kilometres of area.
“We have hired two digital high resolution 101x zoom HD cameras to be used at the Red Fort area for security reasons. The standard CCTV cameras which have been installed have 20x to 30x zoom,” added Verma.
Security agencies have identified and plugged 1,800 points such as small rooms, holes, small windows in the Red Fort. 115 CCTV cameras have been installed in and around the Red Fort, which will be monitored from three control rooms situated on the fort premises. 50 additional PCR vans will be deployed along the Prime Minister’s route from 7 RCR to Rajghat to the Fort and back to the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
“The identity of police officials in the PCR vans will also be checked. They will be given identity cards signed by the concerned ACP’s and the PCR officials are also ordered to know the identity of their fellow official. Apart from this, additional CCTV’s have been installed to keep a tab on the PM route,” said another police official.
“For the first time there will be National Security Guard trained paragliding teams on strategic roofs all around the Red Fort so that any drone attacks can be intercepted. Apart from this, we have identified 105 strategic windows that open towards the fort and from where an attack on the Prime Minister can be detected and placed one security personnel at each window,” said the official. Five North district police teams and 108 teams of security agencies such as Surakhsha Seema Bal, BSF, CRPF, CISF, NSG, Delhi Police special cell etc will be deployed in and around the fort taking the number of personnel deployed to an unprecedented 7000.
In addition to these, strategic rooftops from where an attack to the Red Fort and adjoining areas can be detected have also been identified and 50 roof watchers to scan the areas around Red Fort have also deployed.
“One roof watcher has been deployed to look after five such rooftops,” said the official adding, “Panoramic photography will be used to ensure a close watch on the 605 balconies that face towards the Red Fort,”
Hundred women constables have also been deployed for security at the venue. Additional 40 police teams have been deployed for manning Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMD) around the fort and “spotters” in casual clothes have been deployed in market areas and public enclosures. “Each DFMD will be manned by four police personnels and one spotter who will see if anyone is sneeking in the public enclosures,” said the official
There will be 73 ambulances and 20 first aid boxes with PCR vans deployed around the fort for any emergency situation.
“In case of any stampede or emergency, there are some exit points of all sitting enclosures that have been marked with red colour for the audience,” said the official. Security agencies have also marked out over 3,000 trees and one constable has been deployed for surveillance of ten trees.