The city police have decided to impose several restrictions on the New Year- eve celebrations to maintain public order and prevent any untoward incident. They announced closure of  2.8 km stretch of  RK Beach from Coastal Battery to Park Hotel from 8 pm on December 31 till 4 am on January 1. The Telugu Talli flyover in the heart of the city will be closed for traffic and pedestrians. Around half a million people, including tourists from neighbouring Odisha , Chattisgarh and West Bengal, throng this part of the beach every year to greet one another. Announcing the restrictions, in-charge Commissioner of Police Atul Singh on Saturday said around 1,200 policemen, including armed constables, would be deployed. He advised the people to refrain from drunk driving. Singh stated that letters were sent to all hotels, clubs  and entertainment centres to end their parties by 1 am.

He said organisers of various programmes and hotel managements should install CCTV cameras at strategic places and engage sufficient private security personnel,  and ensure traffic management at the venues. All entries to parties should be only by invitation.  To have a DJ performance at a party, special permission should be obtained from the police. Nude dances and obscene gestures should not be part of the New Year celebrations at hotels, resorts and pubs.

Singh said liquor should be sold only with valid licence of the Excise Department. The New Year party organisers should obtain permission from various Departments. The police would deal firmly with drunk driving. Around 50 traffic police teams would keep an eye on drunk drivers, bike racers and other traffic violators with advanced breathlysers and video cameras at selected places in the city.  Violators would be penalised, including seizure of vehicles and jail terms. "We are imposing these restrictions to maintain the spirit of  New Year-eve celebrations,’’ Singh stated.