Delhi turns fortress for I-Day: Barricades at Haryana, UP borders; AI cameras

Delhi is gearing for a grand Independence Day celebration to be held on August 15. All eyes are on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort early Thursday morning. He will unfurl the National Flag and deliver the customary address to the nation on the 78th Independence Day. This will be PM’s 11th Independence Day speech.
Nearly 2,000 people from various states/Union Territories dressed in traditional attire have been invited to witness the grand ceremony, news agency ANI reported. Besides, the Indian contingent which took part in the Paris Olympics has also been invited to participate in the celebrations. Moreover, 3,000 winners of different online competitions, organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with MyGov and Akashvani, are expected to attend the celebrations at the Red Fort.
#WATCH | Preparations underway at Delhi’s Red Fort ahead of Independence Day, August 15India will be commemorating its 78th Independence Day this year pic.twitter.com/BkM2cyc5br
Pictures and visuals show preparation in Delhi going on a large scale. From mock drills at Red Fort to Delhi metro advisory to security arrangements, Delhi is all set to turn into a fortress ahead of the August 15 celebrations.
High-security vehicles have been positioned behind the Red Fort as security arrangements in the city have been intensified for Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
Meanwhile, mock drills are being conducted by Delhi Police, NCCC cadets and Indian armed forces. Full dress rehearsals were also held for the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on August 13, 2024. More than 600 Delhi Police personnel of the northeast district practised firing with short-range weapons at the police shooting range in Delhi on Tuesday, officials told news agency ANI.
Delhi police personnel have been deployed personnel around the Red Fort, and bomb disposal staff have been carrying out checking of the nearby vicinity of Red Fort with dogs. 
Officials told ANI that a total of 681 police personnel, who practised firing with short-range weapons, will be deployed at different strategic locations in Delhi. He said all the police personnel are combat-ready and can deal with any untoward condition.
Besides, night patrolling has been intensified in the border areas. “Multi-layered barricading were installed at Delhi-Haryana and Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders. SHOs are instructed to check all the vehicles and their owners’ documents entering the national capital,” the official said.
Moreover, over 3,000 traffic police personnel will be deployed to regulate the traffic. They will be deployed at major junctions across Delhi, and also on roads connecting the border to the Red Fort. The Delhi Police have been taking advantage of artificial intelligence. Many CCTV cameras have also been installed.
According to ANI, special cameras were installed on the Door Frame Metal Detector (DFMD), which will be connected to the facial recognition system to keep a check on invitees coming to Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day.
“Security has been beefed up in the national capital and there’s deployment of over 3,000 traffic police officers, more than 10,000 police personnel and 700 AI-based facial recognition cameras in the national capital ahead of the Independence Day celebrations,” the officer said.
Delhi Police, along with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, have been patrolling the Yamuna. The raids are being monitored through binoculars in the Yamuna.
(With inputs from agencies)