Bengaluru, 28 Dec

With just days left for 2025, the Bengaluru Police has made elaborate arrangements for the upcoming New Year celebrations in the city with tight security deployment on heavy footfall areas of the city to ensure safety of public and smooth flow of traffic.

Addressing a press conference here, City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that like every year, Bengaluru Police has made elaborate security arrangements for the New Year Celebrations in the city to ensure no untoward incidents take place.

"Based on the previous year's incidents and experience, we are improving the security. We have identified the areas where people are going to gather in large numbers. MG road, Brigade Road junction, Koramangala, Indiranagar and so on, accordingly arrangements have been done," he said.

According to him, meetings and discussions have been held with civic body BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), Metro, and other organisations. They were appealed to make arrangements for lighting, barricading and operating metro service in night.

Separate meetings have also been held with the representatives of Ola and Uber and pickup locations have been arranged. "To ensure stampede like situation doesn't happen, one way pedestrian system has also been ensured in MG road and Brigade Road. People can walk from Cauvery emporium to opera junction, not opposite. We appeal the people not to wear any type of face masks," he added.

Since a large number of people, motorists and pedestrians will gather at several parts of Bengaluru to celebrate New Year on MG Road, Brigade Road, Koramangala, Indiranagar 100ft road etc, in the interest of public safety, the traffic police has put necessary restrictions on the movement of vehicles on these roads.

In a statement, the city traffic police said that pedestrians will be allowed to walk only on Brigade Road from MG Road Junction towards Opera Junction. Going in the opposite direction is prohibited. "If they have to come back to MG Road, they can come via Residency Road-Residency cross road (Shankarnag Cinema) route. Drivers/owners of vehicles parked on MG. Road, Brigade Road, Rest House Road, Church Street, and Residency Road and St. Marks Road shall vacate their vehicles by 4 PM on December 31, failing which, they will be prosecuted," it stated.

According to traffic police, from 11 PM on 31 December to 6 AM on 1 January, 2025, all types of vehicles will be prohibited on all flyovers in the city (except the elevated expressway leading to the KIA airport) to prevent accidents, mishaps etc. On the KIA International Airport elevated expressway, two wheelers are prohibited from 31 December, 2024 10 PM to 1 January,2025 up to 6 AM.

There will be zero tolerance towards Drink and Drive and driving under the influence of narcotic drugs. "Special drive against commuters who drink and drive/use narcotic drugs will be carried out throughout the night, and all proactive measures like setting up checking points at various places in the city will be taken to ensure that no untoward incident occurs," the police said.

The police have also warned of strict action against those motorcyclists who drive at high speed and recklessly and who participate in wheeling/drag racing and cause inconvenience and nuisance to other public. "If such incidents are found, information is requested to be given on the police helpline number: 112. Vehicles parked in parking prohibited areas and those impeding traffic shall be liable to be towed away," it said.

The public arriving MG Road and Brigade Road for the New Year celebrations have been advised by the police to use public transport.