In view of the 80th Independence Day celebrations on Saturday (August 15, 2026), the Greater Chennai City Police has made elaborate security arrangements across the city. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will hoist the national flag at the ramparts of Fort St. George in Chennai and deliver the Independence Day address.A five-tier security arrangement involving police officers and personnel has been put in place at Fort St. George and its surrounding areas, in accordance with Chennai Police Commissioner A. Amalraj’s directions. Special security duties have been organised under the supervision of Additional Commissioners Kapil Kumar C. Saratkar (North), K.S. Narendra Nair (South), and B. Shamoondeshwari (Traffic).Mr. Amalraj said as a precautionary measure, additional police teams have been deployed at Chennai airport, railway stations, bus terminals, bus and metro stations, commercial complexes, beaches, places of worship, and other important locations frequented by VIPs. Intensive checks and surveillance are being carried out at these places.The police are also conducting checks at hotels and lodges across Chennai. The public has been advised to inform the police about any suspicious movements or unattended vehicles. The Commissioner said patrolling has been intensified across the city using four-wheelers and two-wheelers. The police have set up barricades at key locations and are conducting intensive vehicle checks. Additional personnel have also been deployed at important locations for round-the-clock surveillance and security, said Mr. Amalraj.Traffic arrangementsThe Greater Chennai City Traffic Police has also announced traffic regulations to be implemented on Independence Day at St. George Fort and surrounding areas from 6 a.m. until the function is over.The police said the stretch of Kamarajar Salai from Labour Statue upto RBI Subway North on Rajaji Salai and Flag Staff Road will be closed for all vehicular traffic, except for vehicles with red and purple colour car passes.The red and purple colour car pass-holder vehicles plying on Kamarajar Salai before 8.10 a.m. will take Rajaji Salai and alight outside the Secretariat in-gate. The vehicles will then be parked inside the Secretariat at their respective places – in front of Japan House, NCC Office, Army Parade Ground, Minister Parking, the front and rear sides of the Namakkal Building, and near Fort Museum.After 8.10 a.m. the above pass-holders will not have entry via War Memorial, and the vehicles will be diverted onto Flag Staff Road, Wallajah Point, Muthusamy Point, Muthusamy Road, NFS Road, Parrys Corner (U-turn) RBI Subway, upto the out-gate of the Secretariat. The vehicles will be parked at PWD Parking.Blue and pink colour car pass holders plying before 8.10 a.m. on Kamarajar Salai will not have entry via War Memorial, and the vehicles will be diverted onto Flag Staff Road, Wallajah Point, Muthusamy Point, Muthusamy Road, NFS Road, Parrys Corner (U-turn) RBI Subway, upto the Secretariat out-gate. The vehicles will be parked at PWD Parking.After 8.10 a.m., the above pass holders will not have entry via Labour Statue, and the vehicles will be diverted into Wallajah Salai - Anna Salai - Muthusamy Bridge - Muthusamy Road - R.A. Mandram and NFS Road to reach Parrys Corner and take a U-turn to RBI Subway, upto the Secretariat out-gate. The vehicles will be parked at PWD Parking.The vehicles of journalists cannot be parked at the PWD Parking. If the parking is full, they will return via RBI Subway, NSC Bose Road, Esplanade Road, R.A. Mandram, Muthusamy Road, Flag Staff Road, and enter through Island Ground 6th Gate and park their vehicles.The police vehicles below the rank of ADSP to police personnel can enter through Island Ground 6th gate for parking.The vehicles coming from Anna Salai and intending to proceed towards Parrys Corner and Kamarajar Salai via Flag Staff Road may travel via Muthusamy Bridge - Muthusamy Road - R.A. Mandram - NFS Road to reach Parrys Corner and Anna Salai - Wallajah Road to reach Kamarajar Salai respectively.Those vehicles without passes will be allowed upto the Labour Statue and then diverted into Wallajah Salai, Anna Salai, and enter Island Ground 9th gate to park their vehicles.If the parking is full inside Island Grounds 9th gate, those vehicles without passes will alight near Labour Statue and they will be parked on Anna Salai (outgoing side), Omandurar Hospital, Sivanandha Salai (one-side road parking), Anna Swimming Pool, Foreshore Road (upto Seerani Arangam), Victoria Hostel Road, and MRTS Parking.