Monday, August 15 2005 11:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Bangalore, the country's information technology hub, has come under thick security blanket for the Independence Day celebrations, with four specially trained armed reserve commando units deployed.

Besides these four quick-reaction commandos, authorities have pressed into service 5,000 civil policemen and 28 platoons each of the Karnataka State Reserve Police and City Armed Reserve.

Police appear to be taking no chances.

The Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade ground, the venue of main state-organised function, Raj Bhavan, airport, railway station, defence-related areas and complexes housing software companies have been demarcated as sensitive areas and structures, police officials said.

Bangalore has gained prominence internationally in recent years for the strides the garden city has been making in IT and IT-enabled services sector, accounting for a third of the countrys' total exports in this sector.