Noida cops hold security meet with malls ahead of New Year celebrations

Noida: The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Friday held a meeting with operators of shopping malls, bars and restaurants and reviewed the security arrangements ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The review meeting came a day after police commissioner Laxmi Singh inspected markets and malls in Sector 18, the biggest shopping hub in Noida.

Officials said that police helpdesks will be set up at shopping malls, hired taxis will be stationed outside malls for the convenience of tipplers and no establishments have been given permissions to invite celebrities for performances in order to control the crowd.

“In order to check drunk driving, police will be arranging hired cabs with verified drivers to help people reach their homes. We have directed our personnel to take strict action in cases of drunk driving,” said Harish Chander, deputy commissioner of police, Noida.

The review meeting was held at the NEA Bhawan in Sector 6 in presence of DCP Chander, additional DCP Ashutosh Dwivedi and assistant commissioner of police Rajneesh Verma, with representatives of malls such as Gardens Galleria, DLF Mall of India, Radisson Blu, etc.

Police said that there are 11 registered bars in Sector 18, three in DLF Mall of India and 26 in Gardens Galleria.

“Strict directions have been issued on following government guidelines regarding serving of liquor and loud music to operators between December 25 and December 31. A security audit of these malls, bars and restaurants has been done to assess their security arrangements, CCTV coverage and existing dark areas which need to be lit up,” DCP Chander said.

During the meeting, the police also took suggestions from operators as their cooperation is necessary in ensuring hassle-free celebrations, police said.

Industry estimates say that nearly 200,000 revellers are expected to visit different malls and restaurants on New Year’s eve and January 1.

“In 2019, the DLF Mall of India witnessed a footfall of 119,000. We are expecting a similar footfall this year,” said Ravi Yadav, security in-charge of the mall, adding that there are 800 cameras installed at the establishment.

Virendra Tyagi, security in-charge of Gardens Galleria mall added, “We are expecting over 50,000 people during the festive week. We have ample security staff and parking space for the same”.

ACP Verma said that ambulance and water tenders will also be kept on a stand-by near malls and restaurants.

Police also directed mall operators to ensure that there are no unlit spots on their premises, especially in parking areas or greenbelts.

The operators raised the issue of traffic management during the meeting. Police said that patrol vehicles will be deployed on roads, along with cranes to tow away vehicles found parked on unauthorised road stretches.

Meanwhile, after a Covid-19 alert issued by the Uttar Pradesh government to all districts, police have been directed by senior officials to wear face masks while on duty.