New Delhi: As the country prepares to observe its 63rd Independence Day, the national capital is being put under an impregnable security cover to pre-empt any terrorist attack ahead of the celebrations.
Thousands of security personnel, including sharpshooters of the elite National Security Guards, will keep a hawk-eyed vigil in the city in the run up to the August 15 celebrations at the historic Red Fort where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
will unfurl the tri-colour and address the nation.
Forty CCTVs will be installed in and around Red Fort to ensure incident-free celebrations while NSG sharpshooters will be deployed on high-rises near the 17th century Mughal monument, a senior police official said. Last year, 34 CCTVs
were installed near Red Fort.
While 10 CCTVs will be installed in and around the monument covering up to three kms, 30 more will be installed to cover a four-km stretch from Shanti Van to the Red Fort police post.
Though, the police were not taking any unprecedented step, security measures will be "tighter" in the wake of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the official said.
Agencies are constantly reviewing arrangements at the Red Fort and are in the process of zeroing in on the `safe houses` where the Prime Minister and other leaders should be taken to in case of a terrorist strike, he said.
Besides Red Fort and its surrounding areas, intense vigil will be maintained on key installations like Parliament complex, international airport, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and metro stations.
Meetings will also be held between Delhi Police and their counterparts in adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to ensure a strict vigil against suspicious elements and prevent their entry into the capital.
According to the official, a ground-to-air security apparatus will be put in place for the Independence Day celebrations besides making the Red Fort area a no-fly zone.
Besides patrolling of the skies by helicopters with security officials, an air defence mechanism will also be put in place around the venue to thwart any terror attack.
Delhi Police is also intensifying checking at all the border points, the official said adding, they may also deploy spotters from other states to identify suspicious elements.
Police is asking operators of guest houses, cyber cafes, telephone booths and taxi services to keep a watch on their customers and report about suspicious people.
Instructions will be issued to the operators to keep a register of their customers and not to allow them to use their facilities without proper identification.
While owners of guest houses and cyber cafes will be asked to install CCTVs, telephone booth operators will be instructed to keep a separate register of those making local, STD and ISD calls, the official said.
Owners of guest houses and hotels will also be asked not to allow their guests to use hotel address for getting a mobile connection, the official said.
Bureau Report
