BRICS Summit: 15,000 Delhi Police personnel, 200 companies of paramilitary forces deployed

New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, the Delhi Police, in coordination with multiple agencies, have made elaborate security arrangements including the deployment of 15,000 police personnel and 200 companies of paramilitary forces.

Police have also issued advisories for the general public about the routes that will be “restricted” for VVIP movement in view of the upcoming event.

Addressing a press conference, Special Commissioner of Police, Protective Security Division (PSD), Manish Kumar Agrawal said: “While ensuring the safety of Heads of State, Heads of Government, foreign delegations, and ministers, our goal is to ensure a safe, secure, and seamless event that causes minimal inconvenience to the public. Under our multi-layered security framework, comprehensive security measures have been deployed across summit venues, airports receiving dignitaries, hotels where they are staying, and locations where scheduled or unscheduled meetings may occur.”

Mentioning that some “traffic restrictions” are being imposed because of the massiveness of the arrangement, he said that the Delhi Police have already started issuing advisories for this.

Agrawal urged citizens in the national capital to follow the “temporary restrictions” enforced in view of the upcoming Summit. “The advisories have been issued for the public so that they don’t face inconvenience,” he added.

“I specifically used the term ‘restrictions’; I did not state that any route is completely closed. The restrictions include designated time windows corresponding to VVIP movements. Even under regular circumstances, traffic is briefly halted during such movements,” he said.

The senior officer said that the Delhi Police have coordinated with multiple agencies in order for the security arrangements.

“The routes for the VVIP movement have been surveyed, and steps have been taken to avoid any kind of sabotage.”

“Measures like access control, vigilance, surveillance, verification, and availability of emergency responses have been put in place at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the BRICS Summit,” he said.

Agrawal also said that coordination meetings have been held with the neighbouring states to monitor any kind of movement, adding that required action is being taken on intelligence inputs.

“For these entire security arrangements, approximately 15,000 personnel from Delhi Police have been mobilised, and around 200 companies of paramilitary forces have been provided to us for deployment,” he emphasised.

Further, the senior police officer cautioned that use of any “unauthorised sub-conventional aerial platform” during the event is strictly prohibited.

“Whenever major functions take place where VVIPs and security protectees remain in open spaces for extended durations, advisories prohibiting the operation of sub-conventional aerial platforms are routinely issued. That prohibition remains strictly in effect this time as well. Therefore, if any unauthorised sub-conventional aerial platform is sighted in the airspace, it will be treated as a rogue drone. Robust aerial security arrangements have been implemented against drones and against all forms of aerial threats, in coordination with the Indian Air Force and the NSG,” Agrawal said.

–IANS

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