Thaindian News

Chandigarh, Dec 30 (IANS) The Chandigarh administration Thursday directed owners of the city hotels, restaurants and clubs to tell their guests to comply with heightened security measures as they usher in 2011.In the wake of a nationwide alert, sounded by the central government, the administration here has issued special guidelines.

“We have requested all hotels, restaurants and clubs to inform their guests that there would be heavy deployment of police around the party venues on New Year’s eve. They should tell their guests to behave responsibly so that the police would not be required to resort to extreme legal measures to maintain law and order,” district magistrate Brijendra Singh said.

“The engineering department has been directed to properly light up the parking and vacant areas around the party venues. CCTV cameras will be installed at all such places and the police is going to keep a strict vigil over all these areas,” he said.

The Chandigarh administration has directed all restaurant, hotel and club owners to end their New Year functions by 2 a.m. and to close all bars by 1 a.m. Special video cameras would be installed at Sector 17, the commercial hub of Chandigarh.

The city police have also pulled up their socks.

“The police would keep a check on drunken driving and deal strictly with the hooligans and traffic violators. Special police check-posts will be installed near the party venues and at various sensitive locations in the city,” Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Naunihal Singh told IANS Thursday.

“Our patrolling teams will be continuously roaming around the city to keep an eye on anti-social elements,” he pointed out.

The city has two five-star hotels namely hotel Taj and hotel Mountview. There are over 45 other hotels, restaurants and clubs. They have made special arrangements to welcome the New Year and most of them are already booked.