Ahead of Republic Day celebrations, Delhi Police has identified around 1,000 unsupervised parking locations across the national capital as potential security risks, citing unattended or abandoned vehicles as well as lack of security protocols, including non-functional CCTV cameras, officials said on Saturday.
The parking spots, many of them unauthorised, are located near metro stations, railway stations, markets, malls, office complexes and residential areas, they said, adding that the findings emerged during a mass security survey conducted as part of heightened Republic Day preparedness.
The police have directed district units to begin seizing such vehicles, the officials said, adding that unattended cars also contribute to traffic congestion in busy areas.
Senior officers said the Delhi Police’s Special Cell undertakes risk assessments every year ahead of Independence Day and Republic Day, but the exercise was intensified this time in the aftermath of the Red Fort blast in November 2025, which left at least 12 people dead.
More than a dozen Special Cell teams were deployed across the city for the survey, which was conducted between Dec. 16 and mid-January.
“We observed several minor violations related to law and order, traffic and deployment, but the major concern is unattended vehicles parked for months or even years in unauthorised lots without functional CCTV coverage,” a senior police officer said.
“We have identified at least 1,000 such parking sites across Delhi. Given the security environment, this poses a serious risk.”
The officer said the findings were shared with district deputy commissioners of police, but due to what was perceived as an inadequate response, the issue was escalated to senior leadership, including the police commissioner.
Another officer said the police often do not know the ownership details or contents of vehicles left unattended for long periods. “Even during the Red Fort blast, an allegedly suspicious car was parked near the monument for hours without drawing attention. Such old or abandoned vehicles need to be traced, returned to owners or scrapped. They cannot continue occupying public spaces,” the officer said.
An officer at the police headquarters confirmed that the issue was flagged by the Special Cell and said a coordinated solution involving multiple agencies would be required. “Delhi has over 4,000 parking locations, including authorised and unauthorised ones. The problem of unattended vehicles is not new, but it needs to be addressed urgently from a security perspective,” the officer said.
According to Delhi government data, about 8.24 million vehicles are registered in the city.
Extensive security arrangements have been announced for Republic Day, with Delhi Police deploying more than 30,000 personnel along with over 70 companies of paramilitary forces across the capital.
In a first, security forces will use AI-enabled smart glasses equipped with facial recognition systems and thermal imaging to identify suspects in crowded areas in real time.
The police have put in place a multi-layered security grid with six levels of checking and frisking, installed thousands of CCTV cameras — including those with facial recognition capability — and deployed mobile surveillance vehicles at key points. Around 10,000 personnel will be stationed in the New Delhi area alone.
Route surveys and anti-sabotage checks have been completed, while vigilance has been increased in high-footfall areas such as markets, bus stands and railway stations.
Preventive measures, including tenant and domestic help verification drives and coordination meetings with police in neighbouring states, are also underway as part of Republic Day security preparations, officials said.
