Greater Chennai Police have announced sweeping security arrangements across the city's major commercial districts ahead of Diwali on 8 November, deploying surveillance drones, temporary watchtowers, mobile patrol units and thousands of additional personnel to manage the festive shopping rush. The measures, directed by City Police Commissioner A. Amalraj, cover high-footfall zones including T. Nagar, Purasawalkam, Washermenpet and Flower Bazaar.

Key Deployments Across the City

According to an official release, 25 temporary watchtowers have been erected at strategic points — 10 in T. Nagar, four each in Kilpauk and Flower Bazaar, two each in Washermenpet and Triplicane, and one in Adyar. Officers equipped with binoculars will monitor crowd movement from these elevated posts.

Enhanced aerial surveillance will be provided by seven drones, while 100 body-worn cameras will be used by ground personnel in crowded commercial areas. Plainclothes officers — including women officers — will mingle with shoppers to detect and deter theft and chain-snatching.

Control Rooms, Help Desks and Public Communication

The police have set up 12 temporary control rooms and 37 help desks to assist shoppers, monitor live CCTV feeds, flag suspicious activity and reunite missing children with their families. Public safety announcements will be broadcast through 66 public address systems, and LED screens will display crime prevention messages and precautionary advisories throughout the shopping corridors.

An exclusive WhatsApp coordination group has been created to streamline real-time intelligence sharing among deployed units — a relatively newer tool in the city's festive security toolkit.

Traffic, Fire Safety and Emergency Response

Dedicated traffic patrol units will regulate congestion around shopping centres, with vehicle patrols intensified on key arterial routes. Mobile X-ray baggage scanners will be used for random checks at commercial establishments and crowded locations.

Emergency response infrastructure includes 108 ambulances with medical teams and fire engines stationed at designated points. Additional fire safety precautions have been introduced specifically around firecracker shops to minimise accident risk during the high-traffic season.

Personnel drawn from the Armed Reserve, Tamil Nadu Special Police and Home Guards will supplement the regular city police force across all zones.

Advisory to the Public

Commissioner Amalraj's office has urged shoppers to safeguard mobile phones, cash, jewellery and other valuables. Women have been specifically advised to remain alert against chain-snatching. The police have appealed to the public to cooperate with security personnel and adhere to traffic regulations to ensure a peaceful, incident-free Diwali.

With Diwali weekend expected to draw hundreds of thousands of shoppers to Chennai's commercial hubs, the scale of this year's arrangements signals a heightened focus on both crime prevention and crowd safety.