Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Dec 31: With the district gearing up to welcome the New Year, a large influx of tourists is being witnessed across the coastal region. As in previous years, the police department has issued strict guidelines and put in place extensive bandobast to ensure smooth conduct of celebrations and maintain law and order.
Several beach resorts, homestays, hotels and lodges across the district are already fully booked, and a steady stream of tourists is heading towards the coast. Owing to the Christmas holidays, a large number of visitors from abroad, other states and districts have already arrived and are expected to depart only after New Year celebrations, resulting in increased vehicular congestion. Heavy traffic has been reported on National Highway 66, connecting Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, as well as on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru highway.
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From the afternoon of December 31, additional security arrangements will be implemented at various locations. Police officials, along with KSRP, CAR and DAR personnel, will be deployed at key points. Additional checkposts will be set up and special inspections conducted, police said.
New Year celebrations will be permitted only at hotels, restaurants, clubs, resorts and other establishments that have obtained prior permission from the police commissioner’s office. Organising celebrations or gathering people at any location without prior approval will not be allowed, and legal action will be initiated against those violating police directives.
New Year programmes must conclude by 12.30 am. Prior permission from the competent authority is mandatory for the use of sound and lighting systems, including loudspeakers. The use of DJs in public places in a manner that causes inconvenience to children, senior citizens and patients has been strictly prohibited.
Special task force personnel will be deployed at various locations to prevent incidents of teasing, harassment, violence or obscene activities against women under the guise of celebrations. Quick response teams have been formed to keep a close watch on drunken driving. Police have warned that strict legal action will be taken against those found driving under the influence of alcohol, including seizure of vehicles.
Strict surveillance has also been imposed on the use of narcotic substances during New Year celebrations. Monitoring has been intensified to curb the sale and transportation of drugs, and suspicious individuals will be subjected to checks. Severe legal action will be initiated if drug consumption is detected. Separate permission from the excise department is mandatory for the sale and distribution of liquor.
Police have instructed organisers to take all necessary precautionary measures at event venues, including the provision of fire safety equipment, emergency medical services and adequate security arrangements. Separate parking facilities must be arranged to ensure smooth traffic flow and prevent obstruction on public roads, police added.