New Delhi: Delhi Police has put in place an extensive security and surveillance plan at Ramlila Maidan ahead of the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s mega rally scheduled for November 1, anticipating a large turnout and significant movement of political leaders and supporters.
The security arrangements include the deployment of around 3,500 police personnel, surveillance through more than 200 CCTV cameras, and the division of the venue into 14 zones to ensure effective crowd management.
Senior police officials have been coordinating with rally organisers, the Delhi Traffic Police and other agencies concerned to make adequate law-and-order arrangements, manage traffic and ensure the smooth conduct of the Opposition rally.
The INDIA bloc leaders are expected to travel in open buses from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence to Minto Road before proceeding towards Ramlila Maidan. Members of Parliament will travel separately in open buses from the Constitution Club to Minto Bridge, from where they are scheduled to march on foot to the rally venue.
The Opposition rally is part of the ongoing political protests in the national capital over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with the alliance demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Providing details of the security arrangements, Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range, Madhur Verma, had earlier said that each of the 14 zones at the venue would be supervised by an officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Two of the zones will be monitored by officers of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Besides the police deployment, 10 companies of reserve forces are also expected to be stationed for the event.
The security grid will include CCTV surveillance, body-worn cameras for police personnel, and vehicles fitted with surveillance equipment. Control rooms are also being established to keep a close watch on activities at the venue and in the surrounding areas.
Opposition leaders have claimed that more than one million people could attend the rally. The expected movement of thousands of buses, besides private vehicles carrying political leaders and supporters, is also likely to put additional pressure on traffic in central Delhi.
Delhi Police issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the event Friday.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police has announced that restrictions and diversions will be imposed in several parts of the city between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. November 1.
Depending on the traffic situation, diversions may be enforced at several key intersections in central Delhi, including the Netaji Subhash Marg T-point, Rajghat, Delhi Gate, ITO A-point, Ajmeri Gate red light, Ranjeet Singh Flyover, Jhandewalan roundabout, Turkman Gate and Mirdard Chowk.
The security review comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting at Delhi Police headquarters October 24. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and senior police officers attended the nearly four-hour meeting, during which the law-and-order situation in the national capital was reviewed.
The discussions also covered protests linked to the Election Commission and the SIR exercise, with the November 1 rally among the major events expected in the capital.
Congress MP Mallu Ravi, who visited Ramlila Maidan along with Telangana MPs to review the preparations, said the arrangements appeared to be taking place on a large scale.
“All our Telangana MPs came here to see the arrangements for tomorrow’s protest rally at Ramlila Maidan. Seeing this, we feel arrangements are being made on a large scale. People are also coming, much more and bigger than this Ramlila Maidan area,” he said.
The rally has also drawn concerns from traders, with the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) urging Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to postpone the gathering until after November 10.
The traders’ body said it would launch a poster campaign across 20 markets around Ramlila Maidan, expressing concern that traffic restrictions and diversions could disrupt business during the festive season.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said the rally could affect traders and commercial activity in major markets, particularly with Dhanteras and Diwali approaching. The association has warned that barricading and traffic restrictions could make it difficult for customers to access markets.
However, Rahul Gandhi has indicated that the Opposition alliance will proceed with the rally. In a post on X, he said the protest could be stopped in “30 seconds” if Prime Minister Narendra Modi “sacked” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
