As many as 7,000 police personnel will be deployed to ensure the smooth passage of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning here on Monday, officials said on Saturday.
Nagpur Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the police are geared up to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the session.
"The security cover for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his Deputy Devendra Fadnavis has been strengthened. Security at the Vidhan Bhavan, where the two Houses of the legislature meet, is beefed up. Security at 'Ramgiri' and 'Devgiri', the official residences of the CM and the Deputy CM respectively, have also been tightened," he told reporters.
No person without valid photo identification would be allowed entry at these three places. Security has also been tightened at MLAs' Hostel and Nag Bhavan, Kumar said, adding armed police personnel would remain deployed at these places round-the-clock.
"Commandos of 'Force One,' Quick Response Teams (QRTs), and armed policemen have been deployed as part of the 'three-tier' security at the Vidhan Bhavan. The number of staff in the CCTV camera control room has also been increased for effective 24x7 monitoring. 600 vehicles have been allotted for police duties," the police commissioner said.
Around 2,500 police personnel from various units across Maharashtra have reached Nagpur for bandobast duties, he said.
"Additionally, seven companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and 1,000 Home Guards will also assist the police in bandobast. Six teams of Riot Control Police (RCP), seven teams of QRTs, Riot Control Vehicle (Vajra), Vehicle Mounted Water Cannon (Varun), Dog squads, and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads will be deployed," he added.
The security arrangements are being monitored by Kumar and Joint Commissioner of Police Aswati Dorje. Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth is likely to review the bandobast plan on Sunday.
At last 70 morchas are expected to be taken out by various political and social organisations during the two-week winter session. So far, eight organisations have been allowed to take morchas on the first day of the session on Monday. A total of 20 dharnas or sit-in protests and hunger strikes have also been allowed by the police.
The protest marches will be blocked at various points and the traffic movement on their routes will be diverted. Mobile Surveillance vehicles will be deployed, officials said.
