Will provide foolproof security for Commonwealth Games

Delhi Police Commissioner reviewed the security set up at Major Dhyan Chand and Talkatora stadiums

Ninety-nine days before the Commonwealth Games begins, the Delhi Police showcased its plans for the security of the mega sporting event.

At the first demonstration of the security arrangements, Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal reviewed the security set up at Major Dhyan Chand and Talkatora stadiums on Saturday. The Delhi Police commandos, who are also being trained at the National Security Guards training campus in Manesar, have been stationed at the two stadiums so that they could get familiar with the demographics.

The force that would ensure the security during the Games includes: Delhi Police commandos and personnel, paramilitary personnel and NSG commandos. According to the Delhi Police chief, the personnel will be trained to handle any situation or security breach.

According to officials, there will be close to 1,000 police officers and central paramilitary force officials apart from NSG commandos at strategic locations at each Games venue — 60 to 70 of these will be Delhi Police commandos.

Dadwal checked the placement of the CCTV cameras and entry and exit points of VVIPs, athletes and audience.

“Everything is in place. We will provide foolproof security. I will be personally monitoring the whole security situation during the Games and we have all the coordination from the Organising Committee and government,” he said.

Over 30,000 officials of the Delhi Police, 65 companies of paramilitary forces and hundreds of of cameras have been put in place at the Games venues. Each venue has a ‘venue commander’ of additional commissioner rank.

“The Hockey World Cup (held early this year at the Major Dhyan Chand) went great under the supervision of Additional Commissioner R S Krishnia. Every senior officer including joint commissioners and special commissioners would be part of the security arrangements,” said Dadwal.

Stating that officials would be deployed outside the boundary line in the grounds in track suits, Dadwal added there will be air-surveillance of the venues. He, however, did not comment on if air-surveillance of Major Dhyan Chand stadium would be possible because of its proximity to India Gate.

To ensure a streamlined traffic management, exclusive lanes have been chalked out for Games vehicles. These exclusive lanes will connect event venues, hotels, the Games Village, practice venues and other important places. “Along the routes, there will be anti-sabotage teams, Quick Response Teams, commandos, ambulances, uniformed personnel and snipers on rooftops. Buses carrying athletes will have armed personnel besides armed escort vehicles,” said a senior police officer.

The security apparatus at the stadiums would include three-meter perimeter wall along with 1.5 meter iron grills, CCTV surveillance, Quick Response Teams and teams to battle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear explosives. For vehicles, there will be radio frequency identification, under vehicle scanners, boom barriers and ‘tyre killers’.

The individuals entering the stadiums would be checked by door-frame metal detectors, hand-held metal detectors and X-Ray scanners. They would also have bar-coded passes and IDs. The security personnel and private security guards on duty at venues have been given non-clonnable identity cards, said the officer. There are also plans to get one ‘cargo scanner’ to check trucks without opening the doors.

Also, the Delhi Police has set up a Central Command Control Center at its headquarters.