Uttar Pradesh has ordered intensified market patrolling, tighter traffic deployment and stricter firecracker shop inspections as rising festive footfall is expected to put pressure on public spaces, roads and transport hubs across the state. The directions were issued by UP DGP Rajeev Krishna during a statewide review meeting with senior police officers.
The meeting was attended by zonal additional director generals, police commissioners, range inspectors general and deputy inspectors general, along with district senior superintendents and superintendents of police. Krishna directed police units to maintain a visible presence in crowded markets, commercial centres and other sensitive locations during the festive period.
Senior officers and station house officers have been instructed to personally conduct evening foot patrols. These patrols are to be planned using assessments of recent crimes, local crime patterns and other policing challenges in each jurisdiction. Officers have also been asked to interact with traders, shopkeepers and residents, address grievances and resolve local issues where possible.
The DGP further directed UP-112 emergency response vehicles to carry out slow and continuous patrols in their assigned areas, including when no emergency call is pending. The measure is intended to increase police visibility in areas where pedestrian movement and vehicle traffic are expected to rise.
Traffic arrangements are also being reorganised across districts. Police officials have been asked to prepare for increased vehicle movement and footfall in markets, with deployment plans adjusted to manage congestion and maintain public convenience. The directions do not specify particular road closures or diversion routes; those arrangements are to be worked out by local police units according to conditions in their jurisdictions.
Firecracker shops have been directed to operate only from designated open spaces away from densely crowded markets. Shop owners must hold valid licences and maintain mandatory safety arrangements, including water, sand and fire extinguishers. The instructions place responsibility on local enforcement teams to inspect shops and check compliance before and during the festive period.
Enhanced security has also been ordered at bus stations, railway stations and other crowded public places. The arrangements will receive particular attention during Bhai Dooj, when large numbers of women are expected to travel. The directive includes measures to strengthen women’s safety, although the source report does not specify additional staffing levels or dedicated facilities.
Separately, ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash directed officers to examine the geographical spread and inter-district links of gangs, trace illegal arms suppliers and drug-trafficking channels, and coordinate with the Special Task Force and police units in other districts. The stated objective is to dismantle organised criminal networks through joint operations.
The directions now move implementation to district and city-level police units, which must translate the statewide instructions into local patrol schedules, traffic deployments, market inspections and security arrangements at transport facilities.
