KOCHI: In a first for the city, several thousand foreign tourists, who descend on the Fort Kochi beach to participate in the New Year eve festivities, will get an exclusive space at the venue of the Cochin Carnival. The City police have set up the facility to ensure the safety of foreign nationals. Besides, special bus services will be run to facilitate their return after the celebrations conclude at 12 am.
Major arrangements, including a special police control room(PCR), have been made to avoid heavy rush and traffic snarls in the Fort Kochi area. City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhare is overseeing the entire operation and three assistant commissioners, six circle inspectors, 40 sub-inspectors and 400 civil police officers have been deployed at various locations.
Also, 150 CCTV cameras have been set up for surveillance, with simultaneous live streaming conducted with the help of five video cameras mounted atop three watchtowers. And 25 personnel have been deployed for surveillance and duty at the watchtowers. To prevent eve-teasing and check crimes against women, 100 police personnel in mufti, including 50 women officers, will be on duty.
Motorists will be checked for drunk driving at BOT bridge, Thoppumpady old bridge, Edakochi bridge, Kumbalangi bridge, Kandakadavu, Kamalakadavu and on the stretch leading up to Fort Kochi. Parking of vehicles will not be allowed at the South Beach on Tuesday. Vehicles coming from the Thoppumpady side will not be allowed to proceed towards Fort Kochi from 3pm on Tuesday. Buses and autorickshaws should conduct services only upto Veli Ground after 3pm. Vehicle checks will be carried out under squads headed by Mattanchery joint RTO.
Ernakulam rural
One thousand police personnel will be deployed on duty within Ernakulam Rural police limits. The police will also conduct special patrolling.