The North News
Anandpur Sahib/Chandigarh, November 13
Punjab is preparing for one of its largest religious gatherings in recent years, rolling out an expansive security and crowd-management plan ahead of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru. The commemorations, set for November 23–25 in Sri Anandpur Sahib, are expected to draw vast crowds of devotees from India and abroad.
Senior police officials undertook a detailed review of the arrangements on Thursday. Arpit Shukla, Special DGP for law and order, said the scale of the event demanded what he described as a “multi-layered, technology-driven” security strategy. He was joined by Special DGP for security Sudhanshu S Srivastava, along with ADGP SPS Parmar and Rupnagar district police chief Gulneet Singh Khurana.
Nearly 10,000 personnel will be deployed across the town, overseen by a senior officer of ADGP rank. The policing footprint includes seven IG and DIG-level officers, 22 commandants, 45 superintendents of police and 94 deputy superintendents. Ahead of the event, all units have been briefed on maintaining heightened vigilance in an environment that Shukla noted “demands precision and sensitivity.”
The planning places heavy reliance on an array of surveillance tools. A central command centre is being equipped with more than 300 AI-enabled CCTV cameras with facial-recognition capability. PTZ and number-plate recognition cameras are being positioned at all entry and exit points. Seven drone units will provide constant aerial coverage, giving police what they describe as a real-time picture of crowd movement.
Officers say they have integrated criminal data from across the Ropar region into the surveillance system to help identify known offenders. Mounted patrols and smart barricades will complement ground personnel as part of efforts to prevent stampedes and manage high footfall.
Traffic and mobility planning has been carried out with support from IIT Ropar. Thirty parking zones covering 101 acres are being readied, all to be monitored live during the event. Shuttle buses will operate round the clock to connect venues, while officials are constructing a dedicated pedestrian corridor to ease congestion. Three tent cities with capacity for about 10,000 people are being set up for accommodation.
Eight helipads are also being prepared for visiting dignitaries, reflecting the event’s national and international profile. Police officials say their priority is ensuring that the anniversary—one of the most significant dates in the Sikh calendar—proceeds safely and without disruption.
