Organisers are not taking chances with stadium

Looking at the popularity of hockey in India and the field the Commonwealth Games attracted, the security agencies are leaving nothing to chance at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

Looking at the popularity of hockey in India and the field the Commonwealth Games attracted, the security agencies are leaving nothing to chance at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

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The stadium has 249 CCTV cameras and fire-resistant doors and will have 1,135 security personnel on duty. The venue has been given a facelift after the World Cup here in February to ensure incident-free competition.

The spectator-response has kept the organisers on their toes. About 45,000 tickets have been sold so far for the event, which will see 20 teams — 10 men and 10 women — competing. Former India captain Zafar Iqbal, venue administrator, said the stadium will be ready in the next couple of days and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Security has been the top priority. In the whole premises, 249 CCTV cameras have been put and inside the main stadium there are 131 CCTVs. It will be managed by Delhi Police,” said Zafar. The stadium, which hosted the 1982 Asian Games and the World Cup early this year, has undergone critical infrastructural changes, essentially to ensure the safety of the venue and the spectators.

For security reasons, Delhi Police have prohibited the use of the stadium’s underground parking system that can accomodate 400 vehicles.

“This is a truly world class stadium. Some compare it with the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Malaysia, but the speciality of it is that it has a fusion of old and modern architecture. This is unheard of in any modern hockey stadium,” he said.