New Delhi: Delhiites ushered in the New Year with festive fervour and enthusiasm as they thronged pubs, restaurants, hotels, malls and other popular hotspots in the city amid tight security arrangements. Popular markets, hotels and shopping malls were decked up and special arrangements were made for the celebrations. People also organised house parties to ring in the New Year with family and friends.
Delhi Police remained on high alert after intelligence inputs were received of possible terror attack at two five-star hotels in the city and in the wake of recent terror strikes at a cafe in Sydney, Australia, an army school in Peshawar, Pakistan and Bengaluru blast. SWAT teams were stationed outside premier hotels while special measures were already in place to guard city schools. Elaborate security and traffic arrangements were also made to ensure that celebrations are held peacefully especially at Connaught Place, the epicentre of celebrations in the city, and other popular attractions.
Barricades were set up to curb incidents of drunken driving, stunt biking and several traffic police teams were deployed for the task.
Police restricted entry into Connaught Place after 8:30 PM to prevent overcrowding of the Lutyen's market at night. It had also asked DMRC to stop entry and exit at Rajiv Chowk metro station after 9 PM.
“The entire Central Delhi is under heightened security and we allowed entry into CP only on the basis of invitations and area residents' ID cards. Strict vigil was kept to check stunt bikers and drunk driving,” said a senior police official.
Some other areas of the city, considered as party hotspots like Saket, M-Block Market of Greater Kailash, Chirag Delhi, New Friends Colony, Defence Colony, South Extension, Mehrauli, Aya Nagar Border, Khanpur, Nehru Place near Eros Hotel, near Govindpuri Metro Station, Vasant Vihar among others were also placed under tight vigil.
