With Kochi city beginning to witness the Onam rush, the police have stepped up safety measures, including surveillance, with a focus on festival grounds and commercial centres.

The number of control room vehicles and police picket points has been increased in view of the rush on the streets and at sales hubs, besides strengthening patrols, officials said.

“We used to have police presence in 42 picket points. Now, the number has been increased to 86. Similarly, the number of control room vehicles has been raised to 24 from 17. More picket points will be identified following a review if required,” District Police Chief (Kochi City) S. Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar said.

The official said all special units have been mobilised in view of the requirements in the coming days.

Of the 86 picket points, 34 are in the central sub division covering key spots in the city. “Surveillance has bee strengthened in areas including KSRTC station, malls, Durbar Hall ground, Broadway, Marine Drive and railway station premises,” a senior official said.

Another key official said more shadow police were being deployed in vulnerable areas, including busy commercial streets and festival grounds, including the Athachamayam venue in Thripunithura. Special attention will be paid to ensure the safety of women and children,” the official added. He said that, compared with the recent past, the police had observed a decline in pickpocketing cases, which had been a major concern during crowd management.

The official said the usual suspects had been kept under stringent surveillance, while a full-fledged operation to curb drug trafficking was underway as part of the ongoing ‘Operation Toofan’. “The plan to tackle the Onam rush coincides with the police’s ‘Operation Grip’, which targets goons. Strict action, including invoking the KAAPA if necessary, is being taken,” the official added.

The officials, meanwhile, pointed out that the lack of adequate parking spaces in the city had emerged as a major challenge during the festival season. “Some of the major parking spaces we had, including Marine Drive and Ernakulathappan Ground, are hosting festival fairs. This causes additional congestion on the roads. The ongoing metro works have also added to the crisis, and efforts are on to address it through additional deployment to manage traffic,” a top official said.