PUDUCHERRY: Amidst strict COVID protocols, Puducherry is gearing up for the New Year revelry, with the old French town wearing a festive look. The government has decked up the Beach Road with colourful lighting and entertainment shows, while some events are being organised in open air spaces, the old port and hotels. Though local residents are feeling wary about these celebrations in the wake of the Omicron threat, tourists are enjoying every bit of it.
The New Year celebrations will feature a laser show and some cultural events on the Beach Road to entertain the people who gather there. While the laser show would be organised by the Department of Tourism at Gandhi Thidal, the cultural events would be at the two ends of Beach Road, organised by the Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC). This is primarily to keep the people scattered on the Beach Road, which is the main area where they would gather, Puducherry Tourism Minister K Lakshminarayanan said.
Beach Road has been barricaded into zones with 10 entry points for each to comply with social distancing norms. People would be allowed access only through 10 points after screening and random checking for vaccination certificates, said Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) R. Lokeshwaran. The administration has installed 20 CCTV cameras and with the assistance of two drones, people will be monitored, he said. Around 360 policemen and volunteers would be on duty. The coast has been barricaded to prevent people from entering the sea and drowning. To deal with any health emergencies, ambulances would be placed on three places adjoining the Beach Road.
Meanwhile, the entire White Town area has been turned into a pedestrian paradise with no vehicles of any kind allowed. This is to ensure that everyone can celebrate the New Year without any disturbance, said Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Rahul Alwal.
Vehicles -- both four wheelers and two wheelers -- will not be allowed to enter the Boulevard area from 2 p.m. on December 31 to 3 p.m. on January 1 on Beach Road. All roads from Ambour Salai to the east leading to Beach Road will be closed temporarily.
The residents of the White Town area will be issued with vehicle passes. "They should use the junctions of S.V. Patel Salai and Francois Mortine Street, Rue Dupuy Street and Gingee Salai, J N Street and Ginjee Salai, Bussy Street and Gingee Salai, Suffren Street and Subbaiah Salai,” said Alwal. Vehicles meant for emergency treatment at GH will be permitted via Sr Agne Street and Gingee Salai, Surcouf Street and Gingee Salai.
Tourists and residents will have to park their vehicles at temporary parking lots made available at the New Port, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Petit Seminaire Higher Secondary School (Primary Section), Old Jail Complex and Bharathidasan Government College for Women. Twenty free shuttle buses, each escorted by a police constable, will be provided to ferry people from parking lots to Beach Road. Two-wheelers can be parked on the northern side of all roads between Ambour Salai and Mission Street, the release said.
“May I help you” centres have been set up in 20 locations to help tourists and members of the public to reach the parking spots. There are banners with QR codes too to guide the tourists. For more assistance, a control room would function 24x7. People can WhatsApp the control room no 9489205039.
Elderly people who want to visit churches near Beach Road will be provided with special vehicle passes. Passes will also be made available for residents and hoteliers in the White Town area. Heavy vehicles will be banned in the Boulevard area from 2 p.m. on December 31 to 3 p.m. on January 1, Alwal said. To prevent rash driving along with physical checks, CCTV cameras have been installed to scrutinise those who defy traffic rules.
Meanwhile, joint inspection teams on the borders have started checking the vaccination certificates of people entering Puducherry.