Security personnel keeping vigil at a CCTV room near Red Fort.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Red Fort and its surrounding areas were placed under an extensive multi-layered security cover on Saturday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day. With thousands of police and paramilitary personnel deployed, more than 1,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras monitoring the area, and specialised rapid response teams on standby, the Red Fort became a fortress until 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The security checks were put in place considering the bomb blast near the Red Fort in November 2025 as well as repeated hoax bomb threats ahead of Independence Day. Over 25,000 security personnel, including the NSG, were deployed across Delhi and around the Red Fort.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said the security plan involved multiple layers of screening, besides a dedicated anti-terror response mechanism. “Advance liaison, mock drills, and advance intimation have been carried out to ensure coordination among agencies,” he told media persons on Saturday.
Visitors were not allowed to carry anything except their phones and passes. At Lal Quila metro station, security personnel scanned belongings and strictly removed eatables, coins, remote-controlled car keys, umbrellas, power banks, and handbags, forcing many visitors to leave their belongings behind.
Control room personnel monitored live footage from the CCTV cameras, which used AI to flag suspicious activity, alongside a Facial Recognition System. Anti-drone systems were also deployed to detect unauthorised flying objects. “There was no threat reported during the event, and no aerial or drone-related disruptions either,” said Niharika Bhatt, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).
Traffic restrictions
Several roads around the Red Fort remained closed to general traffic from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. on August 15. Delhi Metro services began at 4 a.m., operating at 30-minute intervals initially. “Nothing adverse was reported. The parking arrangements were made quite efficiently, and the dispersal of the crowd was very smooth,” said Nishant Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic (Central).
Published – August 16, 2026 01:06 am IST
