The Mumbai police will press into service around 5,000 cops in the western suburbs as part of security arrangements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city Thursday. The local police have planned security measures in coordination with the central agencies as per protocol in case of such visits. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Wednesday visited the BKC ground to oversee preparations. Prime Minister Modi is slated to participate in an event there Thursday. An officer said nearly 4,000 policemen along with 1,000 police officers will be present on the ground. In terms of senior officials, five deputy commissioners of police will be present in the area and they will be assisted by 27 assistant commissioners of police. In addition to the local police, four units of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), one unit each of the Anti-Riot Squad and the Rapid Action Force will also be deployed. The Mumbai police commissioner will supervise the arrangements and he will be accompanied by the special commissioner of police and other joint commissioners of police. The city police Commissionerate has already issued an order banning the use of drones, and paragliders, and remote control microlight aircraft flying activities in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Andheri, and Jogeshwari Thursday. An officer said the police control room would be overseeing the crowd through CCTV cameras and will be coordinating with the local police if anything suspicious is seen. The Mumbai traffic police have also issued traffic guidelines. An official said slow movement of traffic on the southbound carriageway from 4.15 pm to 5.30 pm and the northbound carriageway of the Western Express Highway (WEH) from 5.30 pm to 6.45 pm was expected owing to the planned public function in the BKC and Gundavali Metro station area Thursday. “Citizens are advised to plan their commute accordingly,” the official said. The official further added that no heavy vehicles will be allowed on all roads in the western suburbs including the Western Express Highway Thursday between 12 noon and 9 pm. The official, however, added that ambulances, school and other buses have been exempted from the ban.
