NEW DELHI: Ahead of Independence Day, the Delhi Police has tightened security across the capital by intensifying patrolling, conducting anti-sabotage checks and deploying extra pickets at the border areas to thwart any untoward incident, officials said on Sunday.
As part of the anti-terror measures, enhanced police presence, intensive checking at vulnerable points, checking of hotels and guest houses, SIM card and second hand car dealers, sensitisation of cyber cafe owners and verification of tenant and servant drives are being intensively carried out by all the police stations, they said.
At his first crime review meeting held on Saturday ahead of Independence Day, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana directed officials to draft the cooperation of street vendors, small shop keepers and auto drivers in a "big way" for them to act as "eyes and ears" against terrorist or criminal designs.
"These common people on ground can be vigilant to act as our 'force multipliers' and form a part of our community policing to keep the city safe and secure with greater public cooperation and participation," he had said.
Officials said police said legal action have been initiated against those house owners who did not get the verification of their tenant or servant done.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said, "Security at malls and vital installations have been increased. There is constant foot and motorcycle patrolling being done by senior officers.
"Network of CCTV cameras are being strengthened. Those CCTVs which are found non-operational are being repaired and new CCTV cameras are also being installed in vital areas.
Anti-sabotage checks are being carried out in malls and markets.
" The police said vehicles are being thoroughly checked and strict vigil is being maintained while meetings are also being conducted with members of MWAs and RWAs.
In the southeast district, around 500 police personnel have been deployed to carry out verification drives and anti-sabotage checks at vital locations and heavy footfall areas, including market areas of Nehru Place and Lajpat Nagar, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) R P Meena said, "Along with PCR vans, extra staffs are also being deployed at iconic places, including places of worship.
"Patrolling has been intensified in heavy footfall areas where dog squad as well as bomb disposal squads are being used to conduct anti-sabotage checks.
" In north district alone, 3,060 guest houses cum hotels have been checked, 2,224 parking lots checked, 13,198 tenant verifications done, 26,986 servant and 3,356 private security guards verified so far as part of its verification drive, the police said.
According to data, in north district, 302 cases have been registered against parking lots for their lapses in maintaining records, 323 cases have been filed against owners for not conducting verification of their tenants, 473 cases have been filed against owners for not carrying out verification of servants.
In outer Delhi, about 6,80 cases have been registered so far against landlords for not conducting verification of their tenants and around 50 cases have been filed against those for not conducting verification of their servants, according to police.
Security has also been tightened at the border areas in coordination with our counterparts as thousands of farmers are on a sit-in for over six months demanding to repeal the Centre's three agri laws, the police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Parvinder Singh said, "At border areas, we have deployed 24X7 pickets who are conducting thorough checking of cars, two-wheelers and trucks.
The by-lanes inside the villages adjoining the borders are also being checked.
"Armed police personnel are also being deployed at market areas as part of anti-terror measures besides carrying out an extensive verification drive across the district."