New Delhi:
As cross-border hostilities between India and Pakistan escalate, the national capital has been placed on high alert, prompting the Delhi government to cancel all employee leaves and step up city-wide security and preparedness measures.
Following reports of cross-border shelling in several areas, including Jammu, security in Delhi has been significantly heightened, especially around key infrastructure and public spaces.
Key Measures and Developments:
Public Evacuations at India Gate:
Visitors were asked to vacate the India Gate premises, with police making public announcements and regulating traffic around the iconic war memorial.
Government Employees’ Leaves Cancelled:
In a late-night directive, the Delhi government’s services department suspended all pending and upcoming leaves for city employees until further notice.
Emergency Preparedness Reviewed:
District magistrates across Delhi held review meetings with their teams to assess health, disaster management, and emergency response readiness.
Increased Vigilance and Patrols:
“Police presence will be significantly increased in all sensitive zones,” a senior officer stated. Night patrols have been intensified and additional forces deployed.
Security at Key Installations:
Paramilitary forces have been stationed at airports, metro stations, malls, markets, hotels, and residential areas, while routine checks and surveillance operations have been expanded.
Border Threats and Defence Response:
Security measures follow Pakistan’s failed attempt to target critical Indian locations including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.
Indian defences intercepted the attacks and reportedly destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore.
Police Coordination and Monitoring:
All Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) are on active duty, conducting coordination meetings with ACPs and SHOs.
Special commissioners are overseeing the situation across all 15 districts of Delhi.
Police checkpoints, particularly at the city’s border entries, have been reinforced, with thorough vehicle screening now in place.
Inspections and Anti-Terror Drills:
Mayur Vihar Phase-1 Metro Station underwent a detailed security inspection.
“The station is under 24/7 CCTV surveillance, with 41 cameras and dedicated CISF personnel on duty during each shift,” said DCP (East) Abhishek Dhania.
Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) conducted anti-sabotage operations across malls, markets, and critical installations. DCP (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary confirmed that these checks are part of enhanced vigilance measures aimed at neutralizing potential threats.
