With Kaanum Pongal celebrations set for January 17, the Greater Chennai Police (GCP) have announced extensive security and safety arrangements to manage large crowds and ensure a smooth festival experience across the city. Around 16,000 police personnel will be deployed on duty, supported by 1,500 Home Guard volunteers at key public locations including beaches, parks, malls and other crowded areas. Temporary control rooms and assistance booths have been established at strategic points such as the service roads leading from the Labour Statue to the Light House along Marina Beach, where crowd monitoring will be intensified. Surveillance towers equipped with communication devices, CCTV cameras, all-terrain vehicles and mounted police units will further enhance monitoring efforts.
To prevent drowning incidents, entry into the sea will be prohibited on the day of celebrations, and trained personnel from the Coastal Security Group, along with local fishermen volunteers, will be stationed at vantage points along the shoreline. Eight drone cameras will also be deployed over Marina Beach and Elliot’s Beach for aerial surveillance.