Drones and CCTV surveillance will be deployed to strengthen security during the upcoming budget session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to begin on February 16 at 2:00 pm with the Governor’s address.
Addressing a press conference, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted conduct of the 11th budget session of the 14th Assembly. The first phase of the session will run for three days and may be extended.
The Speaker informed that a total of 125 notices of questions have been received from members. These include 111 starred questions and 14 unstarred questions. All the questions received online have been forwarded to the government for further action as per rules. Additionally, two notices received under Rules 62 and 101 have also been sent to the government for necessary action.
Keeping in view the possibility of protests and rallies during the session, the Assembly premises and surrounding areas have been divided into four sectors. Gazetted police officers have been appointed in charge of each sector to maintain strict vigil.
A total of 872 officers and personnel have been deployed in and around Shimla for the session. The deployment includes 15 gazetted officers, 30 non-gazetted officers, 66 head constables, 375 constables, 47 women constables and 16 communication staff. In addition, 200 Home Guard personnel and 75 trained commandos from the Quick Reaction Team, Special Security Unit and other special forces will be stationed at key locations.
Personnel from the State Investigation Department will also be deployed in plain clothes. Apart from CCTV monitoring, surveillance will be carried out through digital videography, photography and drones to keep a close watch on the Assembly complex and sensitive areas of the city.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Gaurav Singh appealed to the public to cooperate with security checks, avoid spreading rumours, and immediately report any suspicious activity to the police. Additional traffic personnel have also been deployed to manage vehicular movement in the city during the session to prevent congestion during peak hours.
