Independence Day Full Dress Rehearsal Parade Held At Delhi's Red Fort

As part of preparations for the 80th Independence Day celebrations, a full dress rehearsal was held at the national Capital's historic Red Fort on Thursday.

The rehearsals were conducted amid heightened security deployment in the national Capital as well as tight traffic arrangements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort on August 15 is expected to draw large crowds and involve extensive restrictions on movement in the capital city.

Speaking to IANS about the security measures, Shahdara DCP, Rajendra Prasad Meena, said: "Today was the full dress rehearsal. The Shahdara district is a very sensitive area. From a border point of view, we have seven border points adjoining Ghaziabad district in Uttar Pradesh. Traffic at these points was completely shut from 10:00 p.m. last night."

"Apart from our regular checkpoints and check posts across the district, we have also deployed temporary pickets at several additional points. We have also ensured that all Emergency Response Vehicles, patrol vehicles continue patrolling in their respective areas," he added.

The senior police official said that special security arrangements have been made at the Khadar side area of the Yamuna River, behind the Red Fort complex.

"We have been doing continuous patrolling in that area which will continue till the main event on August 15," he mentioned.

Traffic Police Zone-2, Additional Commissioner of Police (CP), Dinesh Kumar Gupta, also mentioned that restrictions on all borders areas of the national Capital were put in place by 10 p.m. yesterday night.

"No commercial vehicles were allowed from there. Only vehicles carrying essential commodities were permitted. We coordinated with the concerned authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana so that vehicles could be stopped from coming towards the borders and diverted earlier, preventing heavy congestion at the borders," he told IANS.

He added that apart from this, several diversion points have been created for the traffic.

"Routes such as C-Hexagon, Tilak Marg and routes in the Lutyens' Zone and VIP areas have restrictions due to VIP movement. Our staff have been deployed at all the concerned intersections.

"We have issued a public advisory, including through print media, mentioning the affected routes and have suggested alternative routes for the public," Dinesh Kumar Gupta said.

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