Republic Day 2026: Delhi Police's 'Eyes and Ears' initiative urges hotel owners, SIM card vendors, others to stay alert
In preparation for Republic Day, Delhi police launched 'Eyes and Ears' initiative to boost security and community vigilance through CCTV installation and monitoring. This comes alongside heightened security measures due to suspected drone activity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Delhi Police recently conducted a citywide outreach programme ahead of Republic Day celebrations. The initiative named “Eyes and Ears” to increase security and safety was attended by several citizens across police stations, including Indira Gandhi International Airport and Delhi metro units.
Delhi Police in a post on X stated, “Ahead of #RepublicDay2026, @DelhiPolice conducted a mass public awareness programme under the 'Eyes and Ears' Scheme, aimed at encouraging citizens to remain alert & vigilant. The initiative focused on active community participation, timely sharing of information and collective responsibility to prevent crime and ensure safer neighbourhoods.”
According to Delhi police around 10,000 representatives from different segments of society attended the program at 199 police stations of Delhi. Speaking with PTI, an official said that this initiative resident saw active participation of welfare associations (RWAs), market welfare associations (MWAs), hotel owners, car dealers, vendors, security guards and porters, among other community representatives.
To strengthen community vigilance before the national event, RWAs were advised to install CCTV cameras, conduct tenant verification and monitor entry of hawkers. As part of the outreach programme, MWAs were asked to enhance CCTV coverage, preserve footage and keep the police updated with regular inputs. Furthermore, hotel owners were asked to maintain detailed records and verify guests at check-in.
Urging citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, the Delhi Police sensitised parking attendants and chemical sellers. "SIM card vendors were told to strictly follow Department of Telecommunications guidelines, while second-hand car dealers were urged to ensure proper verification of buyers and timely transfer of vehicle ownership," PTI quoted police official as saying.
This move to beef up security comes at a time security forces suspected foreign drone movement in Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday evening. Officials informed PTI about suspected discovery of multiple Pakistani drones in Indian airspace in several forward areas along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC). In response, a search operation has been launched.
Republic Day 2026 Chief Guest
For the 77th Republic Day celebration this year, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will be the chief guests, according to a report by News18. This marks the first time the EU’s joint leadership will grace the grand event ahead of the India-EU summit. During the most awaited meet, both sides aim to hold discussions and negotiations to finalise the long-pending Free Trade Agreement.