The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) have stepped up security arrangements ahead of the 80th Independence Day celebrations. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will hoist the national flag at the ramparts of Fort St. George on Saturday.

The GCP said orders issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and sub-section (2) of Section 14 of the BNSS, prohibiting the use of drones, remotely controlled micro-light aircraft, paragliders, paramotors, hang gliders, hot-air balloons and other aerial objects, are already in force from June 19 to August 17 in the GCP limits.

As part of the security arrangements, areas in and around the Secretariat and the route to be taken by the Chief Minister from his residence in Neelankarai to the Secretariat have been designated as a “Red Zone”. The flying of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), drones, and other aerial objects has been prohibited in these areas on August 14 and 15, except for government-authorised operations, the police said.

Published - August 11, 2026 07:54 pm IST