Police announce elaborate security arrangements for New Year celebrations in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 28: With just days left until 2025, the Bengaluru Police have made elaborate arrangements for the upcoming New Year celebrations in the city, including tight security deployment in heavy footfall areas to ensure safety of public and smooth flow of traffic.
A total of 11,830 police personnel, including senior officers along with civil defence staff and others, will be keeping a strict vigil across the city, monitoring any potential rave parties and drug-related activities.
Police said the New Year celebrations have been permitted only until 1 am by the government, and the public is allowed to conduct celebrations only within the prescribed time limit.
Addressing a press conference, City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that, like every year, Bengaluru Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the New Year celebrations in the city to ensure no untoward incidents occur.
"Based on last year's incidents and experience, we are improving security. We have identified areas where people are likely to gather in large numbers, such as MG Road, Brigade Road junction, Koramangala, Indiranagar, and others. Accordingly, arrangements have been made," he said.
He also mentioned that meetings and discussions have been held with civic body BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), Metro, and other organisations, urging them to make arrangements for lighting, barricading, and operating the metro service at night.
Separate meetings have been held with representatives from Ola and Uber, and pickup locations have been arranged.
"To prevent a stampede-like situation, a one-way pedestrian system has been implemented on MG Road and Brigade Road. People can walk from Cauvery Emporium to Opera Junction, but not in the opposite direction. We also appeal to people not to wear any type of face mask," he added.
Since a large number of people, motorists, and pedestrians will gather in several parts of Bengaluru to celebrate the New Year on MG Road, Brigade Road, Koramangala, Indiranagar 100ft Road, etc., the traffic police have put necessary restrictions on the movement of vehicles in these areas.
Pickets will also be placed in several areas across the city, especially near malls and party areas.
According to the police, a total of 2,572 police officers and staff, including five DCPs, 18 ACPs, and 41 police inspectors, have been deployed in the Central Division, which includes Brigade Road, MG Road, Opera Junction, and Residency Road, among others.
'Safety Islands' with women officers have been set up at important locations for the safety of women, while police kiosks have been installed in strategic areas where necessary services, such as assistance with missing children or theft complaints, can be availed in emergencies.
In other areas of the city where celebrations are expected, such as Koramangala, Indiranagar, HSR Layout, Whitefield, and Airport Road, 2,414 police officials and staff, including 18 police inspectors, four DCPs, and six ACPs, have been deployed.
Observation towers have also been set up for personnel to provide proper surveillance in highly crowded areas, with binoculars provided for better monitoring.
Across the police divisions, 817 CCTV cameras have been installed, 63 watch towers have been erected, 114 women safety islands will be operational, and 48 police kiosks and 54 health centres have been set up as part of precautionary measures.
Additional CCTV cameras will be installed at key locations across the city, and inspections will be carried out by check teams.
In a statement, the city traffic police said that pedestrians will be allowed to walk only on Brigade Road from the MG Road junction towards Opera Junction. Going in the opposite direction will be prohibited.
"If pedestrians need to return to MG Road, they can use the Residency Road-Residency Cross Road (Shankarnag Cinema) route. Drivers and owners of vehicles parked on MG Road, Brigade Road, Rest House Road, Church Street, Residency Road, and St. Mark's Road, must vacate their vehicles by 4 pm on December 31, failing which they will be prosecuted," the statement said.
According to the traffic police, from 11 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1, 2025, all types of vehicles will be prohibited on all flyovers in the city (except the elevated expressway leading to the KIA airport) to prevent accidents and mishaps.
On the KIA International Airport elevated expressway, two-wheelers are prohibited from December 31, 2024, 10 pm to January 1, 2025, 6 am.
There will be zero tolerance towards drinking and driving or driving under the influence of narcotic drugs.
"Special drives against commuters who drink and drive or use narcotic drugs will be carried out throughout the night, and all proactive measures, including setting up checkpoints at various locations across the city, will be taken to ensure that no untoward incidents occur," the police said.
The police have also warned of strict action against motorcyclists who drive at high speed recklessly or participate in wheeling/drag racing, causing inconvenience or nuisance to the public.
"If such incidents occur, information is requested to be provided to the police helpline number, 112.
Vehicles parked in prohibited areas and those obstructing traffic will be towed away," the police added.
The public arriving at MG Road and Brigade Road for the New Year celebrations have been advised by the police to use public transport.
During the press briefing, the Commissioner shared the safety measures taken by the city police for safe New Year 2025 celebrations across Bengaluru. The measures include security arrangements at major celebration venues, special women safety zones with female officers and… pic.twitter.com/Roki2gYGlr
— ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ BengaluruCityPolice (@BlrCityPolice) December 28, 2024
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
