CHENNAI: As part of the security arrangements for Deepavali, the city police have deployed 18,000 police officers and personnel in major locations, where crowds are expected to gather, such as T Nagar, Pondy Bazaar, Purasawalkam, Mylapore, Flower Bazaar, NSC Bose Road, Washermenpet and Koyambedu, among others.
As many as seven temporary watchtowers have been set up at T Nagar, three in Washermenpet, three in Kilpauk, and four in Flower Bazaar. Police personnel will monitor them on a rotational basis. They have also set up five temporary police control rooms and 10 temporary help desks.
Apart from this, the police will use 19 public address systems, four drone cameras, and a Face Recognition System to ensure celebrations pass off entirely without incident. Ambulances and fire engines have also been readied at strategic locations.
Marshals have been deployed to manage traffic flow at T Nagar, Purasawalkam, Washermenpet and Flower Bazaar. Police personnel in plain clothes will monitor crowds to nab anti-social elements. The police also said that firecracker shops are under surveillance.