Republic Day Function: Delhi Police to Put Their 'Best Foot Forward'

New Delhi:  Delhi Police on Friday said that it will put its "best foot forward" on security arrangements for the Republic Day function where US President Barack Obama will be the chief guest while giving an assurance that the city will not be "shut down" during the period.

"Security will be elaborate and we will put our best foot forward. The preparations are already underway and all the necessary steps are being taken. However, we would like to assure Delhiites that we will not shut down the city," Police Commissioner BS Bassi told reporters while addressing the annual Delhi Police press conference.

US President Barack Obama will be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day function and security will be several notches higher than previous occasions. The presence of President Obama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with a host of dignitaries, at the parade is going to be a never-before high-stakes event for the security agencies.

During the event, the police would coordinate and work in tandem with multiple agencies, including US agencies, Special Protection Group, military and para-military forces and also police forces of neighbouring states.

An inter-state coordination committee meeting in which senior police officials of neighbouring states will participate is slated to be held in Delhi soon, a senior official said.

Security remains beefed up in the national capital in wake of the recent intelligence inputs about a possible terror strike with Delhi Police's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and hit teams being deployed at important installations like airports, railway stations, bus terminals, Metro stations and malls.

Three SWAT teams have been kept on standby 24x7 in the city. They have been stationed outside premier hotels while special measures were already in place to guard city schools after the terror attack on an Army school in Peshawar in Pakistan.