Security beefed up for Independence Day, Dahi Handi festivities in Mumbai
State and civic-run hospitals will have emergency wards to provide medical services to injured Govindas.
Mumbai: With Independence Day and Janmashtami celebrations coinciding on Tuesday, the Mumbai police will deploy nearly 20,000 personnel across the city towards maintaining law and order and ensuring citizens’ safety.
Mumbai police spokesperson Rashmi Karandikar said, “Elaborate security arrangements will be put in place involving state reserve police, traffic police, the local arms division, and all police stations.”
As part of the massive security rollout, officials will monitor real-time footage from over 5,000 CCTV cameras and special police teams dressed in plain clothes will ensure women’s safety. Local police will capture footage of dahi handi celebrations on their mobile phones to ensure that no high court guidelines are violated. Officials will also conduct anti-sabotage checks and nakabandi in various parts of the city.
Security at railway stations will be beefed up and central railway (CR) stations will see deployment of at least 2,100 railway protection force (RPF) personnel. There will be separate teams aided by sniffer dogs to conduct anti-sabotage checks. Starting Monday late night, a three-tier security cover will be put in place across trains, platforms and railway yards. CST will have around 100 RPF staffers and two quick response teams (QRTs) to handle security.
State and civic-run hospitals will have emergency wards to provide medical services to injured Govindas. For the first time, bike ambulances will be stationed at various points to tackle emergencies, and doctors will be part of the Govinda pathaks. One hundred and sixty beds in civic hospitals and 50 in state hospitals, and a total 200 doctors have been allocated on the occasion.
Dr Avinash Supe, director, BMC hospitals, told The Asian Age, “Like every year, we have set up a special ward to tackle dahi handi injuried. We have deployed almost 150 doctors in all BMC hospitals in the city to tackle emergencies.”
Dr T.P. Lahane, dean, state-run hospitals, told this newspaper, “We have deployed more than 50 doctors and 50 beds have been reserved for injured Govindas. There will be extra staff working along with the doctors on Tuesday.”