Security beefed up, special trains to run as Mumbai gets ready for New Year’s Eve revelry

Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) As Mumbai gears up to ring in the new year without any COVID-19 restrictions after two years, the police on Saturday beefed up security across the city to prevent any untoward incident.

Besides this, to ensure smooth travel for Mumbaikars on the New Year’s Eve, the Railways and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), have announced special services after midnight on December 31.

As part of the security arrangements, 10,000 police constables, 1,500 officers, 25 deputy commissioners of police and seven additional commissioners of police have been deployed to maintain law and order, an official said.

Apart from this, 46 platoons of the state reserve police force (SRPF), three units of the riot control police and 15 quick response teams (QRT) are also deployed, he said.

The police are anticipating large gatherings near the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu beach, Bandstand in suburban Bandra and other prominent locations, and security arrangements have been made accordingly, the official said.

“We have instructed the police stations to step up patrols and pickets, deployment at crowded places and areas where citizens are likely to indulge in revelry,” Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar said.

The Mumbai police will facilitate December 31 celebrations without compromising the safety and security of people, he said.

“We appeal to people to exercise due restraint and take care of children and women in places that witness high footfalls,” the police chief said, adding that citizens can contact police control rooms for assistance.

Besides the police personnel deployed for the occasion, all senior police officers will be on the ground for ‘bandobast duty’, he said.

The Western and Central railways will run eight and four additional local services, respectively, apart from the regular suburban services on their networks, officials said.

According to the Western Railway, four services from Churchgate to Virar and as many in the opposite direction will be operated from 12.15 am onwards.
On the main line, Central Railway officials said, two extra services will be run between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kalyan – each will start in opposite directions at 1.30 am.

Similarly, two extra services will run between CSMT and Panvel, they said.
Starting Saturday, the Central Railway will operate two extra services of the iconic toy train between Matheran and Aman Lodge station, beyond which vehicular movement is restricted on the hill station located 100 km from Mumbai.
The BEST, meanwhile, will run 50 extra services, twice the number it operated last year, a release stated.

The decision was taken considering the heavy rush of commuters a week before New Year’s Eve.

It will also operate overnight services of its open-deck double-decker buses, which are a tourist attraction, on Saturday, the BEST said, appealing to commuters to use the service to witness the first sunrise of 2023.

The Government Railway Police (RPF) have beefed up security at railway stations and on suburban locals to avoid any untoward incident.

According to a GRP release, more than 6,000 police personnel, including senior police officials, will be deployed on Mumbai’s suburban network on New Year’s Eve.