In the wake of multiple incidents of molestation that occured on New Year’s Eve in Bengaluru in 2016, city police are laying down elaborate guidelines for party organisers planning Dec. 31 festivities. While party-goers are getting set to ring in the New Year, nightclubs, pubs and restaurants are required to tighten their security measures for the night.
To ensure that no untoward incidents occur on the eve of the new year, a host of safety regulations have been listed by the Bengaluru City Police. “All the bars, hotels, clubs and event managers who are organising a New Year’s party are directed to follow the rules prescribed to them. Only if they comply with the given requirements, will they be given permission for going ahead with the party,” said Sadiq Pasha, an inspector at the Marathahalli police station.
Women Bouncers
In the checklist prepared by the police, the deployment of women security personnel at New Year’s parties has been mandated. “Our objective is to ensure the safety of women, especially after the incident of mass molestation that took place at MG Road during New Year’s Eve in 2016,” said Sadiq Pasha.
The police will be inspecting the establishments that are going to be organising New Year’s Eve parties, and a background check of the male and female security personnel will be conducted. “We will collect their personal details and make sure that they are not mentioned in any criminal records or sexual offenders list,” Sadiq added.
Cab Facility
Party organisers must tie up with cab aggregators, such as Ola and Uber, to ensure the safe transportation of customers. “Since the parties extend till 2 am, many people might be drunk and unable to drive back home or book their own cabs. So it is compulsory for organisers to arrange for cabs,” Sadiq Pasha said.
Medical aid
A sufficient number of wheelchairs and stretchers will be located by the police in every area to provide assistance during an emergency. Even party organisers are instructed to position medical supervision.
CCTV cameras and other facilities
The pubs, restaurants and hotels hosting a party are expected to have CCTV cameras installed, not only inside their establishment but at all the entry and exit points, even covering the nearby streets. The police during inspection will also ensure the proper functioning of the fire exits and elevators, apart from checking the parking and lighting provisions of the establishments.
Drones
Sadiq Pasha said that the police are also discussing the possibility of deploying drones for surveillance purposes in certain crowded areas such as MG Road, Marathahalli and areas along the Outer Ring Road.
Check on sale of tickets
The police will also be restricting the sale of party tickets, since organisers usually sell more tickets than the capacity of a place. “Overcrowding leads to suffocation and causes hindrance for safety regulations. So we are ensuring that party organisers sell tickets in accordance to the number of people a place can hold,” Sadiq Pasha said.
“The local police will inspect the pubs and restaurants in their areas and mark them on a checklist to ensure that they are following the stipulated guidelines. Only then will they be allowed to organise the New Year’s Eve party,” said Abdul Ahad, Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru City Police (Whitefield).
Awaiting orders
TNM contacted a few pubs that are planning a New Year’s Eve party, such as Loft 38 in Indiranagar, Tilt Gastro Pub in Koramangala, Sugar Factory in Vasanth Nagar and Cloudnyn on Old Airport Road. All of them said that they haven’t yet received the safety guidelines from the police. “The pubs and restaurant managers are generally called for a meeting at the area police station and briefed about the necessary safety measures for the party. The meeting always takes place a week before New Year’s Eve,” said Dheeraj Kumar, managing director of Pablo’s Gastrobar.
Sadiq Pasha said that the police will start inspecting the establishments that are hosting a New Year’s party from December 20 onwards. He said that there is no fixed deadline for when the inspection will end, but they will try to wrap up by December 25.