Gujrat Police: Ahmedabad: No CCTV, no dandiya: Police commissioner tells garba organisers...

AHMEDABAD: The terror has taken toll on the garba revelry this season as your every move will now be watched by the garba organizers and police officials in the city. In a notification on Thursday, the city police commissioner has issued a guideline for public and private garba organizers that underlines the use of CCTV cameras for security purpose.

Sudhir Sinha, the city police commissioner, issued a notification for the Navratri. As per the notification, the permission for the public events, also known as 'Sheri Garba' can be given by the respective police station inspector. For the commercial events having tickets or passes, the organizers will have to seek permission from the joint commissioner of police (traffic) office at city police commissioner office. The garba events can use loudspeakers up to 12 midnight. After that, the traditional instruments can be used without loudspeaker.

"As a city with high security every Navratri, many rules will be followed this year as well such as use of metal detectors at the entrance, issue of passes with photograph of the revelers, different entrance and exit for the revelers, deployment of private security personnel and keeping a check on the parking lots. What we have asked the organizers to do is to install CCTV cameras at all strategic locations in and around garba venue. The CCTVs should also be installed at parking, entry and exit. The footage should be retained for no less than three days," said Sinha.

The officials have also taken into consideration the traffic issues due to Navratri. As per the notification, 200 meters of both the sides of the venue should not have traffic jams or parking issues or else the organizers will be held responsible. The organizers have also been asked not to keep parking on road or else the permission will be revoked.