Key flyovers in Thane to be shut during New Year celebrations

The police in Maharashtra's Thane have decided to shut several key flyovers in the city during the New Year celebrations in a bid to curb accidents caused due to rash or drunken driving, an official said on Wednesday. The police have also instructed the housing societies in the city to avoid holding any public celebration of the New Year during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also ordered that the terraces of buildings be kept shut during this period, he said.

''The police have urged the people to celebrate the New Year in a simple manner. People have been asked to avoid going out and crowding. We have decided to keep several important flyovers in the city from late Thursday night till the early hours of Friday to keep in check incidents of rash or drunken driving,'' the official said. ''Similarly, the housing societies have been asked not to hold any New Year celebrations and keep the terraces shut so that nobody gathers there,'' he added.

The city police has decided to put in place heavy bandobast during the New Year celebrations. All the DCPs in the commissionerate, 17 assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), 128 inspectors, 150 assistant police inspectors or sub-inspectors, 3,500 other policemen, 950 female police personnel will be on bandobast duty during the New Year celebrations, an official release said.

Besides, three companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and 300 home guards, among other staff, have also been roped in to avoid any law and order situation during this period, it said. The police will also keep a vigil outside bars, restaurants and other such places.

Starting last week, the Maharashtra government imposed night curfew between 11 pm and 6 am in municipal corporation limits in the state till January 5.