New Delhi: Thousands of gun-totting security
personnel were on Delhi streets on Saturday keeping a hawk-eye vigil
to pre-empt any terrorist strike on the eve of Independence
Day celebrations.
An impregnable ground-to-air security apparatus has been
put in place in the capital, especially near Red Fort where
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unfurl the tri-colour and
address the nation for sixth consecutive time tomorrow.
Though no specific intelligence input about possible
terror strike is there, security agencies are leaving no
stone unturned to ensure an incident-free Independence Day
celebrations.
Security agencies are giving the final touches to the
security arrangements at the Red Fort and have zeroed in on
`safe houses` to where the Prime Minister and other leaders
should be taken to in case of a terrorist strike.
"Elaborate security arrangements have been made.
Personnel from Delhi Police and paramilitary will be deployed
for security," a senior police official said.
Around 40 CCTVs have been installed in and around Red
Fort to ensure incident-free celebrations while sharpshooters
of the NSG will be deployed on the high-rises near the 17th
century Mughal monument.
Besides Red Fort, the official said, intense vigil were
being maintained on key installations like Parliament complex,
international airport, railway stations, inter-state bus
terminals and Metro stations.
"The localities around Red Fort have been sanitised and
informers have been deployed to keep a check on any movement
of anti-national elements," the official said adding,
specialised units like Quick Reaction Teams, SWAT and Vajra
are being deployed.
A no-fly zone will put in place around Red Fort during
the nearly 90-minute function.
Besides patrolling of the skies by helicopters, an air
defence mechanism will also be put in place around the venue
to thwart any terror attacks.
Delhi Police has also intensified checkings at all the
border points.
The official, however, said there will be no sealing of
borders this time. "We will be conducting random checking at
borders so that there will be no long queues at the borders."
He said goods vehicles will not be allowed between
Nizamuddin and Wazirabad from midnight of August 14 to 11
am on August 15.
PTI
