Commissionerate Police issues guidelines, timings for zero-night celebrations in Bhubaneswar

The Commissionerate Police on Tuesday issued a slew of guidelines regarding zero-night celebrations in hotels and bars in Bhubaneswar. The guidelines were issued after a meeting between the police and the owners of hotels and bars. 

Under the chairmanship of Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh, a meeting was convened today where the police held discussions with the owners of hotels and bars regarding their plans and programmes for zero night. 

After the meeting, the police came up with some guidelines to avoid any kind of law and order situation during the zero-night celebrations. 
According to the police, the hotel and bar owners are allowed to organise events to welcome New Year till 12.30 AM. Those who want to continue their celebrations till 1.30am have to apply for special permissions. The organisers of the zero-night celebrations have to make arrangements for extra security and parking. Besides, they will check the excess consumption of liquor. 

The hotel and bar owners have been asked to have extra drivers to drop drunk revellers at their homes. If required, the organisers will have an ambulance on standby. 

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Moreover, the police asked the hoteliers and bar owners to refrain from allowing the use of any kind of drugs in their hotels and bars, or else action would be taken against them. Special police teams will be deployed at hotels. 

The police would also increase patrolling and block-checking at midnight to check drunk driving. 

“The hotel and bar owners must follow the time limit set for the celebrations. They will have to make sure that the capacity of their venues doesn’t exceed the limit. They will also take care of the safety measures. They will get their CCTV cameras repaired. They have been instructed to have extra staff at their parking places to help their customers. They have also been asked to arrange for extra drivers to drop off drunk customers,” said Bhubaneswar DCP, Prateek Singh.