Delhi:
Good things come for a price. So if you are a cricket buff and are planning to cheer India at the World Cup matches in Delhi, be prepared to face some side effects.
Security in the city would be scaled up for the four World Cup matches Delhi is hosting. The layout for the matches would come along with traffic chaos and diversions in city streets.
A senior Delhi police officer deputed with the security wing, on condition of anonymity, said that a similar security shield used for the Commonwealth Games will be put in place for the World Cup matches which start on February 12. The arrangements during the Games last October received praises from many quarters. "There are four matches to be played in the Capital and we will provide foolproof security to the players," a source said.
"There will be clear passages for the players and some lanes will be dedicated solely for their transport. The lanes which were used at the time of CWG for transport of the participants will probably be used for the same during the World Cup matches," a senior police officer stated. The venues, hotels and other arrangements will be managed in a similar way.
"We will not allow anyone inside the venues without a valid ticket or pass. Even people from any government departments will not be allowed without a valid pass," sources said. During the CWG a lot of police officers had to face flak from senior cops for negligence of duties. "We won't allow recklessness at any cost from the officials who will be put assigned duty during the WC," the sources stated.
Senior police officers said that the matrix which was followed during the CWG was based on international standards of security. "Though we faced criticism from a few influential people as in some instances they were not allowed to enter the venues without valid passes, we continued following the procedures which we had prepared. It is for a foolproof security in such big events," the officer added.
Home Minister P Chidambaram had praised the Delhi Police Commissioner during the CWG, YS Dadwal, for doing a tremendous job of providing flaw-less security during the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi. In a letter to Dadwal, Chidambaram had said: "I wish to express my deep appreciation of the splendid achievement of the Delhi police in making foolproof security arrangements for the commonwealth games. But for the foolproof security arrangements, the Commonwealth Games would not have been the success that they turned out to be."
Matches in Delhi: February 24 - West Indies vs South Africa
February 28 - West Indies vs Netherlands
March 7 - Canada vs Kenya
March 9 - India vs Netherlands