Indus Valley Times

By Nalini Sahu

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 16: A massive three-layer security blanket has been thrown around the Odisha Legislative Assembly ahead of the State’s Budget Session beginning Tuesday, with more than 35 platoons of police and specialised response units deployed to ensure incident-free proceedings.

Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh, along with senior officers including the Deputy Commissioner of Police, on Monday reviewed the security grid and inspected arrangements in and around the Assembly complex.

The Budget Session will be held in two phases from February 17 to April 8. Authorities have declared the Assembly and adjoining areas a high-security zone, with multiple barricades erected and surveillance significantly intensified.

Apart from regular police forces, one platoon of Special Operations Group (SOG) commandos, bomb disposal squads, fire service personnel and Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been positioned at seven strategic points. The elaborate deployment includes seven Additional DCPs, 22 Assistant Commissioners of Police, 29 Inspectors and more than 100 Sub-Inspectors. Plainclothes personnel have also been stationed to track suspicious movements.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 will remain in force in the sensitive Lower PMG area to prevent unlawful assembly, while CCTV cameras will maintain round-the-clock vigil over the Assembly premises and surrounding zones.

“Around 35 platoons and nearly 100 officers have been deployed at entry gates, inside and outside the premises, and other critical points. A Special Tactical Unit is on standby to respond to any potential terror threat. All arrangements are in place to ensure the Budget Session proceeds smoothly,” Singh said.

The upcoming session is expected to feature crucial debates on the State’s finances and policy priorities for the year ahead.