Artistes for opening ceremony yet to get cleared

Three days before the Games, most of the 7,000 artistes who would perform at the opening ceremony are in a dilemma. Courtesy: the inefficiency of the Games Organising Committee.

Three days before the Games, most of the 7,000 artistes who would perform at the opening ceremony are in a dilemma. Courtesy: the inefficiency of the Games Organising Committee.

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The officials are yet to hand over information about the artistes to the Delhi Police. Most of them haven’t been given security clearance either.

This has not only put a question mark on their participation in the ceremony but has also restricted their entry to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium — venue of the opening ceremony — for rehearsals.

With time running out, the issue was discussed at the Group of Minister’s (GoM) meeting,chaired by Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday.

“We are sorting out the issue... Many of them are yet to be given security clearance. These artistes must be permitted inside. We are looking at how to expedite their entry for rehearsals as also the final event,” he said after the meet.

After coming under flak for calling it off abruptly, when many critical Games-related issues were yet not resolved, the GoM was reconvened again on Wednesday.

Delhi Police officials it is posing a big security problem. “It means that all these artistes would have to be given clearance in a hurry,” said an official who did not want to be named.