The Commissionerate Police is intensifying preparations for the forthcoming cricket match at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack scheduled to be held on February 9. A pivotal meeting led by the Police Commissioner was held on Wednesday at Police Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
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According to sources, the Twin City Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh conducted a thorough review of the security protocols to ensure robust measures are in place. Fifty platoons of police force will be mobilised to oversee security management. Senior police officers will be actively monitoring these operations. A comprehensive presentation for the police personnel was carried out to confirm the security strategies.
Traffic routes have been meticulously planned, and the Commissionerate Police assured all are prepared to maintain the safety of match proceedings and safeguard the players.
Key figures who participated include senior police and Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) officials, traffic and hotel management, airport authorities, and officers from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Cricket Teams are due to arrive in Bhubaneswar on February 7, with their accommodation arranged at the Mayfair Hotel in Bhubaneswar. Following their arrival, they will travel to Cuttack on February 8 for practice sessions, which will be conducted under rigorous security supervision. The cricket fixture itself is scheduled for February 9.
“We discussed the safe, smooth, and secure movement of the teams. We also discussed the players’ stay (in Bhubaneswar), the smooth conduct of the practice and ODI matches. Based on the inputs, we will make police, traffic, and anti-sabotage arrangements, including security-related paraphernalia,” the Police Commissioner said in a presser.
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Worth mentioning, a stampede-like situation was witnessed outside the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack as a huge number of cricket enthusiasts gathered to buy offline tickets from the counters earlier in the day for the upcoming India vs England match.
The widespread chaos was attributed to poor exit management that resulted in crowd control issues. Moreover, eyebrows were raised over a large number of elderly women having little knowledge about cricket waiting in long queues for hours to buy tickets.