Security has been tightened and a special traffic arrangement made for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally on Sunday at the large Ramlila Maidan, a little over a kilometre from Old Delhi’s Daryaganj that was hit by violence during a protest against the new citizenship law. A police official said 20 companies of outside force have been deployed, each company comprising 70-80 personnel. “Twenty DCP-rank officials will be there. As many as 1,000 personnel from local police, anti-drone teams and NSG commandos will be there,” the official said. The traffic police said restrictions will be in place on several routes leading to Ramlila Maidan. It said it is ensuring protesters demanding the scrapping of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act do not reach the venue. “No commercial vehicle will be allowed from Raj Ghat to Delhi Gate crossing (near Daryaganj). There will be traffic restrictions on DDU Marg towards Kamla Market Chowk via Vivekanand Marg,” it said in an advisory.
Traffic will be affected on Barakhamba Road, Tolstoy Road and Ranjit Singh flyover, the advisory said. A number of traffic personnel have been deployed along the route the prime minister will take. The area around the venue has been sanitised, meaning restriction on movement of locals and closure of shops, the police official said. A multi-level security arrangement will be in place, with CCTV surveillance of all the routes leading to the venue and snipers being positioned atop buildings, sources said. Cutouts of PM Modi, BJP president and Home Minister Amit Shah and working president J P Nadda have been put up around the Ramlila Maidan. The Delhi Police is in close touch with SPG and Bharatiya Janata Party for security arrangements for the rally. The Delhi BJP has also deployed volunteers to assist the visitors.
