A three‑layer security cordon is set to surround the Utsav Ground in the IP Extension of East Delhi on Tuesday evening, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the city’s Dussehra celebrations and take part in the traditional Ravana Dahan (effigy‑burning) ceremony. The extensive security arrangement has been confirmed by two police officers familiar with the plans.
Security deployment
Authorities will mobilise roughly 2,500 personnel drawn from central armed paramilitary forces and the Delhi Police. The deployment includes commandos from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, as well as the counter‑terrorism and hostage‑rescue team that operates under the Special Cell. An officer cited “threat perception and possible protest or disruption by ‘anti‑social elements’ on the routes or at the venue” as the rationale for the large force.
The security architecture is divided into three concentric layers. The innermost layer will be controlled by the Special Protection Group (SPG), the agency tasked with the Prime Minister’s close protection. The middle layer will be manned by the Prime Minister’s security wing of the Delhi Police, which also includes commandos. The outermost layer will be the responsibility of the local police force, completing the perimeter around the venue.
Event organisers expect close to 10,000 spectators for the Ravana Dahan ceremony. Access to the ground will be restricted to individuals holding valid entry passes issued by the organisers. A second police officer, who asked not to be identified, explained that every entrant will undergo mandatory searching and frisking at the entry gates. The SPG has already taken control of the venue and conducted “multiple rounds of anti‑sabotage checks” to detect any suspicious items.
Deputy Police Commissioner (East) Rajeev Kumar highlighted additional security measures, noting that aerial surveillance through drones is being employed alongside a “adequate” deployment of CCTV cameras around the Utsav Ground. Kumar declined to provide further operational details, stating, “We cannot elaborate further on our security details.”
High‑rise buildings that line the Prime Minister’s motorcade route and the vicinity of the venue have been thoroughly scanned and secured. Tactical teams have been positioned on rooftops at strategic locations to counter any potential attack. At every entry gate, door‑frame metal detectors, hand‑held metal detectors and baggage scanners have been installed. Sniffer dogs, quick‑reaction teams, ambulances and patrol vans will also be on standby throughout the event.
Traffic management
The Delhi Traffic Police will allocate approximately 300 personnel to manage vehicular flow on the routes leading to the venue and in the surrounding area. A contingency route plan has been prepared, and at least five deputy or additional deputy commissioners of police will remain deployed on the routes and at the venue, assisted by nine assistant commissioners of police, according to a traffic police officer who wished to remain unnamed.
Traffic diversions are scheduled to be in effect from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. across central, south and east Delhi. In East Delhi, the diversions will affect National Highway 24, Road 57 and 57 A, Road 55 around Patparganj and Ghazipur, as well as Vikas Marg. The traffic police issued an advisory urging commuters to avoid the diverted roads, use alternate routes, plan journeys in advance, allow extra travel time, park only in designated areas, avoid roadside parking, drive carefully, remain patient and obey traffic‑control signs and instructions from deployed personnel.
Venue preparations and expectations
Officials have emphasized that only pass‑holders will be permitted entry when the Prime Minister is expected to arrive at the ground around 6:30 p.m. The layered security setup, combined with metal‑detector screening, sniffer‑dog units and rapid‑response teams, is intended to mitigate any threat of sabotage or disruption. The presence of aerial drones, extensive CCTV coverage and the scanning of nearby high‑rise structures further underscores the comprehensive nature of the security plan.
While the exact details of the security protocol remain undisclosed for operational reasons, the coordination between central armed forces, specialized police units and traffic authorities reflects a concerted effort to ensure a safe and orderly celebration. The extensive traffic redirection and the advisory issued to motorists illustrate the broader impact of the security preparations on daily life in Delhi on the day of the event.
Karn Pratap Singh, a veteran crime and policing reporter covering Delhi for nearly a decade, has compiled the above details from police sources and official advisories.
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