Red Fort, vicinity ‘no kite flying zone’ till flag hoisting over on I-Day: Delhi Police

Every year around the two key national events – Independence Day and Republic Day celebration – the Delhi Police ban the flying of aerial vehicles such as drones, quadcopters, paragliders, and hot-air balloons across the city till the conclusion of the events

To avoid any security breach or threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries during the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort, the five-kilometre area around the historic fort will be declared a “no kite flying zone” till the flag-hoisting ceremony and the PM’s address to the nation from its ramparts is over on August 15, Delhi Police officers aware of the development said on Thursday.

Red Fort and the five-kilometre area around the historic monument will be declared a “no kite flying zone” till the flag-hoisting ceremony and the PM’s address to the nation is over on August 15, Delhi Police officers have announced. (HT PHOTO.)

The officers said that personnel of the local police stations concerned are in the process of identifying and meeting the “known (regular) kite-flyers” living in areas around Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Daryaganj and upto Bara Hindu Rao, asking them to refrain from flying kites till 9 am on August 15 by citing security issues.

“Nearly 300 such regular kite-flyers have been identified and the process is still on. The number may increase in the coming days. Apart from urging them not to fly kites, we have asked them to coordinate with the police in creating awareness among other people, especially children, about our no-kite-flying step during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort,” said deputy commissioner of police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi.

The police said that security personnel will be deployed on the roof of around 350 high-rise buildings around the Red Fort, which are identified every year before the Independence Day celebrations, for security vigil. The deployed personnel will also be keeping long sticks to spot and snag stray kites moving towards the venue.

Every year around the two key national events – Independence Day and Republic Day celebration – the Delhi Police ban the flying of aerial vehicles such as drones, quadcopters, paragliders, and hot-air balloons across the city till the conclusion of the events.

Since the central intelligence agencies have been receiving inputs regarding possible threats and warnings from various terror outfits of disrupting the Independence Day celebrations, the city police have been taking several measures to avoid any untoward incidents around the event. Apart from securing the areas around the Red Fort, the police are also in the process of installing over 950 Internet Protocol (IP) based CCTV cameras in and around the venue and also on the routes taken by the VVIPs.

Of the total requirement, 80% CCTV Cameras of IP-based 2-megapixel and 20% CCTV cameras of IP-based 4-megapixel will be installed at each and every corner of the venue. While nearly 950 CCTVs are for the Independence Day celebrations, another 800 will be hired for the Republic Day event in the national capital.

Similar IP-based CCTV cameras were used during this year’s Republic Day celebrations as well. The hiring of 770 such cameras was done through a tender issued by the provision and logistics department of the Delhi Police in December last year, said a police officer, who did not want to be identified.