Thousands of people thronged popular spots like the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty, Bandstand and Juhu beach from Tuesday evening to welcome 2020.
(Photo: Bipin Kokate)
Lakhs of Mumbaikars welcomed the New Year with peaceful celebrations and night-long parties though less crowds were witnessed on city streets and other public places compared to last year, police said on Wednesday.
Thousands of people thronged popular spots like the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty, Bandstand and Juhu beach from Tuesday evening to welcome 2020.
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Around 2 am on Wednesday, revelers were asked to leave these places, a police official said.
"This time there were less crowds on streets as compared to last year," a traffic police official said.
A light show was held at Bandra Reclamation where people gathered in large numbers, resulting in a massive traffic jam late in the night.
The police later asked people to leave the place in a bid to maintain law and order, the official said.
Some cases of drunk driving, riding two-wheelers without wearing helmet, rash and negligent driving and getting into no-entry zones were reported in the city, he said.
People from Mumbai also travelled to Mahabaleshwar, a popular hill station located about 260 km from here, and Panvel, on the city's outskirts, to usher in the New Year.
At least 40,000 police personnel along with officials of the police's Special Branch, riot-control police, Quick Response Teams, Crime Branch and traffic police were deployed across the city, another official said.
Tight vigil was maintained at all the popular places, including beaches. The police kept a watch on crowded spots through 5,000-plus CCTV cameras and also used drone cameras to monitor
the beaches, the official said.
The city transport undertaking BEST operated extra buses late Tuesday night on seven routes, including those connecting Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu Chowpatty and Gorai Creek with railway stations and distant suburbs.
About 1,500 Government Railway Police personnel were deployed at various railway stations along with two platoons of Riots Control Police.
The Central Railway and Western Railway also operated extra services on the suburban network late night.
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