Lucknow, March 31 : Security in Lucknow will now come at a cost from Monday.

Be it a wedding, any other function, or a programme in individual homes, shopping malls, hotels or elsewhere, those desiring police security for any private event will have to shell out money, as the Lucknow police have decided to charge fees for security arrangements.

Earlier, some events were given free security while others were charged. The move aims to bring all the private events under one category. Now all kinds of events, barring government functions, would get security on payment.

The Lucknow police commissioner has also given a detailed circular to bring uniformity in determining the rates for providing police arrangements in private programmes.

'Mainly, one day's average salary of all the police personnel being deployed in a programme will be payable and if they are deployed for more than a day, the organisers will be charged for those days too,' said a press statement from Lucknow police.

'This payment will be determined by the officer ordering the police force and a copy of the bill will be sent to the Digital and Counter Inspector,' it added.

'With the development of Lucknow district and increase in facilities, the number of private programmes organised has also increased in the past few years.

Upendra Kumar Agarwal, joint commissioner of police (law and order), said, 'It is noted that police arrangements can be made for private events but payment must be taken.'

'In the Police Regulation/Police Act and various government orders, fees have been prescribed for the police force being provided for private events. Powers have been given to the police department to collect it from the organisers, mainly in Para 199 of the Police Regulation,' he added.

However, as per the new move, if the police force is not sought by the organiser and their private security agencies are deployed, then general security arrangements which are necessary to maintain law and order and security of that area will be ensured by the police. This will apply to civil, traffic and armed police forces.

/IANS