Better safe than sorry, say cops

If you notice anything untoward during the New Year celebrations, call 22633333. For the first time, the Mumbai police will have a dedicated helpline to attend to complaints during the celebrations, reports HT Correspondent.

If you notice anything untoward during the New Year celebrations, call 22633333. For the first time, the Mumbai police will have a dedicated helpline to attend to complaints during the celebrations.

HT Image

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Himanshu Roy said the helpline would be active for 24 hours from the morning of December 31.

Citizens could call the helpline to report unruly behaviour, suspicious persons/objects or eve-teasers. Citizens can also call the regular police number (100), Roy said.

The entire police force — 40,000 personnel — has been asked to patrol the streets during the celebrations. The bandobast would primarily focus on crowd control with a special emphasis on curbing molestation and eve-teasing.

He said there would be a large deployment of plainclothes women constables at popular celebration spots like Gateway of India, Juhu Beach and Girgaum Chowpatty. As a precaution, the police will segregate couples at important venues to keep molestors and eve-teasers at bay. “Even drinking in public won’t be tolerated,” Roy said.

He said the deployment would include Quick Response Teams and assault vans, which could rush to any trouble spot.

To deal with the problem of rash driving, hotels and pubs have been asked to ensure that drunk patrons are not allowed to take the wheel.

This year, the police have allowed parties on ferries and boats at Gateway of India. Roy said owners of the boats have been called to meet with him on Wednesday. Guidelines would be issued to them for the conduct of the parties.

The Coast Guard and Customs Department have also been asked to keep an eye on the coastline while the boat parties are on, Roy said.