Students of Sai International School, Bhubaneswar, don colours of patriotism on the eve of Independence Day. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Aug 14: The outgoing police commissioner of the twin cities, Sunil Roy, has been chosen for this year’s President’s police medal for distinguished service. Besides Roy, 32 others, including an IPS officer and three jail staff, will get this coveted honour under different categories.

This announcement came on the eve of Independence Day, for which the city police, led by its newly appointed commissioner R.P. Sharma, have made elaborate security and traffic arrangements. The parade will be held on Mahatma Gandhi Marg tomorrow.

Ironically, the announcement about the choice of Roy, a 1987-batch IPS officer, for the award came in the wake of his removal from the police commissioner’s post following a steep rise in crime in the twin cities and the failure of the police to strike a rapport with the common people. He was replaced by Sharma, a 1986-batch IPS officer, as the commissioner of police on August 12 and was given charge as the additional director general of police in the human rights protection cell.

Inspector general of police in charge of law and order and coastal security in Cuttack Binayanand Jha has also been selected for the President’s police medal for distinguished service. Jha, who hails from Bhagalpur in Bihar, is a 1988-batch IPS officer. Seventeen other police personnel have been selected for the President’s police medal for gallantry while 11 others have been selected for police medal for meritorious service.

In correctional service categories, Odisha bagged three awards with Renubala Dei, matron (re-designated as jailor) at Nari Bandi Niketan in Sambalpur, getting President’s correctional service medal for distinguished service. Another warder of Berhampur circle jail and a district probation officer in Cuttack will also get the correctional service medal.

Security blanket

Thirty platoons of police would be deployed around Mahatma Gandhi Marg, the parade venue, tomorrow.

Students take part in the full dress rehearsal of the Independence Day parade in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

“Three deputy commissioners, two additional deputy commissioners, 12 assistant commissioners, 22 inspectors and 100 sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors will be deployed. Members of the anti-terrorist squad, dog squad and rapid action force will also be present,” said deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh.

The police will install five high-frequency closed-circuit television cameras.

Vehicles approaching the parade venue would be diverted from different roads. While those coming from Acharya Vihar side would be diverted towards the left near Keshari Talkies Square, those coming from 120-battalion side would be turned towards left behind Rabindra Mandap.

Vehicles from AG Square would be diverted near Indira Gandhi Park towards the colony roads in Unit-II. No vehicles would be allowed to ply towards Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Master Canteen Square.

The police have identified seven parking lots around Mahatma Gandhi Marg — BDA bus stand near railway station, the open space in front of Congress Bhavan, Idcol auditorium, Jayadev Bhavan, the open space inside Rabindra Mandap and Unit-II Girls High School ground.