New Delhi:
Thousands of gun-totting security personnel were on Delhi streets on Saturday keeping a hawk-eye vigil to pre-empt any terrorist strike on the eve of Independence Day celebrations.
An impregnable ground-to-air security apparatus has been put in place in the Capital, especially near Red Fort where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unfurl the tri-colour and address the nation for sixth consecutive time on Sunday.
Though no specific intelligence input about possible terror strike is there, security agencies are leaving no stone unturned to ensure an incident-free Independence Day celebrations.
Security agencies are giving the final touches to the security arrangements at the Red Fort and have zeroed in on 'safe houses' to where the Prime Minister and other leaders should be taken to in case of a terrorist strike.
"Elaborate security arrangements have been made. Personnel from Delhi Police and paramilitary will be deployed for security," a senior police official said.
Around 40 CCTVs have been installed in and around Red Fort to ensure incident-free celebrations while sharpshooters of the NSG will be deployed on the high-rises near the 17th century Mughal monument.
Besides Red Fort, the official said, intense vigil were being maintained on key installations like Parliament complex, international airport, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and Metro stations.
"The localities around Red Fort have been sanitised and informers have been deployed to keep a check on any movement of anti-national elements," the official said adding, specialised units like Quick Reaction Teams, SWAT and Vajra are being deployed.
A no-fly zone will put in place around Red Fort during the nearly 90-minute function.
Besides patrolling of the skies by helicopters, an air defence mechanism will also be put in place around the venue to thwart any terror attacks.
Delhi Police has also intensified checking at all the border points.
The official, however, said there will be no sealing of NCR borders this time. "We will be conducting random checking at borders so that there will be no long queues at the borders."
He said goods vehicles will not be allowed between Nizamuddin and Wazirabad from midnight of August 14 to 11 am on August 15.