Ahead Of Republic Day, Delhi Police Ropes In Citizens To Act As 'Eyes And Ears'

Ahead of the Republic Day ceremonies, the Delhi Police on Sunday conducted a citywide outreach programme under its Eyes and Ears Scheme, an official said.

The programme was attended by several citizens across police stations in districts, as well as metro and IGIA (Delhi airport) units.

The initiative, aimed at strengthening community vigilance before the national event, saw active involvement of stakeholders including members of resident welfare associations (RWAs), market welfare associations (MWAs), hotel owners, car dealers, vendors, security guards, porters and other community representatives, the official said.

Police said the programme was designed to sensitise citizens about their role in maintaining security by acting as the eyes and ears of the force and promptly sharing information about suspicious activities.

As part of the outreach, a joint interactive session was conducted. During the interaction, RWAs were advised to install CCTV cameras, conduct tenant verification and monitor entry of hawkers, while MWAs were asked to enhance CCTV coverage, preserve footage and regularly share inputs with the police. Hotel owners were instructed to thoroughly verify guests at check-in and maintain detailed records.

'SIM card vendors were told to strictly follow Department of Telecommunications guidelines, while second-hand car dealers were urged to ensure proper verification of buyers and timely transfer of vehicle ownership. Parking attendants and chemical sellers were also sensitised to remain alert and report any suspicious activity,' the police official said.