IPL matches: 2,800 cops, 360 CCTV cameras ensure security at Uppal stadium

Hyderabad: Elaborate arrangements are being made with as many as 2,800 police personnel at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (RGIC), Uppal, for the smooth conduct of the IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, said Rachakonda commissioner of police Tarun Joshi.

Tarun Joshi, accompanied by senior police officials, visited the RGIC stadium and conducted a ground-level inspection to verify the arrangements on Tuesday. Speaking to the media, the commissioner said that the stadium would host two IPL matches on March 27 and April 5 in the first schedule of cricket matches of the 17th edition of TATA IPL-2024.

The stadium has approximately 39,000 seating capacity. To avoid any untoward incidents during the match days, a series of unprecedented measures were taken up at Uppal cricket stadium for the smooth run of the cricket matches, he said.

Elaborate arrangements

Informing the measures being taken for the safety and security of players and spectators, Tarun Joshi said that elaborate bandobast is being made in coordination with different wings, like security wing, traffic (300 personnel), law and order (918), TSSP/AR force 12 platoons, Octopus two teams, Mounted Police (10), Vajra (10), and other wings like SB, CCS staff and SOT, and four fire tenders with fire-fighting squad.

Gate No 1 is only for players, others are not allowed. Spectators are allowed through gates as per their ticketing and the evacuation plan is ready for any emergency. In and around the stadium, a total of 360 CCTV cameras are being installed including the places at vehicle checkpoints, and parking places to cover the entire area of the stadium, en route and parking areas, he said.

Effective internal communication

The commissioner further said that a joint command and control room has been established to monitor all the CCTV footage for taking immediate action. Anti-sabotage checks with the help of BD teams would continue round the clock until the match is completed on the day of matches.

An effective communication system is being maintained with the allocation of VHF sets to every sub-inspector and above rank for the quick response and also a control room has been installed. The scanners installed at the stadium will allow police and other security personnel to detect explosives and other prohibited material inside the venue, he added.

Extensive surveillance

Tarun Joshi said that services of the bomb disposal team and sniffer dogs were pressed into service to ensure safety in the stadium and parking places.

Separate teams are being deployed to check the movements of antisocial elements. Three mobile technicians were deployed at each gate to check spectators’ mobile phones. Additional bandobast is made in and around the stadium round the clock with Octopus, NGS teams, and the Mounted Police force deployed at gate numbers 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8.

Banned objects inside stadium

The spectators are not allowed to carry laptops, banners, water bottles, cameras, cigarettes, electronic items, matchboxes, lighters, sharp metal/plastic objects, binoculars, writing pens, batteries, helmets, perfumes, bags and outside food. A separate SHE Teams/Anti-Eve-Teasing team has been established, he said.

The commissioner also said that a separate vendor supervising team has been established to control the vendors and their rates as prescribed by the authorities. A separate supervising team is established in and around the stadium to check the movement of all police officers. The antecedents of the personnel, who are being engaged by the sponsors/vendors related to this match, are being thoroughly checked and passes with photos were issued to them. Exchange of accreditation cards is strictly prohibited and replacement of personnel is not allowed and cases are also booked against change of passes, he added.

Gates will open 3 hours before match

Adequate signage boards are erected at different places to make the viewers reach the stadium easily.

The viewers are not allowed to park any vehicles on either side of the main road from Genpact to Uppal Ring Road and Uppal Ring Road to Vishal Mart, Ramanthapur, and the vehicles have to be parked at prescribed TSIIC parking areas only, the commissioner said.

Gates will be opened and spectators will be allowed into the stadium three hours before the schedule. Keeping the spectators count in view, adequate measures were taken by increasing the number of ambulances from 3 to 5 for immediate medical services to spectators, he added.

In view of public safety, four fire engines will be kept to curtail the fire incidents.

Vendors/hackers are prohibited outside the stadium, special teams will be on the move and will curb the sale of tickets in black. The HCA/SRH authorities have erected sufficient signage boards at all the main roads from Habsiguda to Uppal, LB Nagar to Uppal, Medipally to Uppal, Ramanthapur to Stadium with proper arrow marks, Tarun Joshi said.

Parking Lots

With the approximate estimation, sufficient parking places for two-wheelers and four-wheelers are identified and arrangements have been made for the free flow of traffic during the match day.

- The car pass holders of outer gates 1 and 2 should enter from the Ramanthapur side (LG Godown/ Modern Bakery) and park their vehicles in parking slots A and B inside the stadium.

- The physically challenged viewers with passes are suggested to enter from Ramanthapur road and enter the stadium through outer gate No 3 (Service entry) after parking their vehicles at the parking slot at B.

- The viewers who hold passes for entry through gate No G-4 to G-10 should enter the stadium from Habsiguda-Uppal main road (via EkMinar) and park their vehicles at the IALA parking place.

- Heavy goods vehicles from LB Nagar and Warangal routes will not be allowed towards Habsiguda during match timings. They will be diverted as per the instructions of DCP, Traffic.

- Heavy goods vehicles coming from ECIL, Kushaiguda, and Cherlapally towards Uppal X roads are being diverted via Mallapur bridge, Chengicherla X (Warangal route) and LB Nagar junctions. The above restrictions will be in force on the match day.

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