High security for 1st ODI between India-Australia in Hyderabad

Heavy security has been decreed for the one-day India-Australia cricket match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Uppal on Saturday. The stadium has a seating capacity of 38,000. Mahesh Bhagwat, Rachakonda police commissioner, said on Wednesday that unprecedented measures have been taken for the safety of the audience and players.

Around 2,300 policemen from various wings of the police department, including law and order police stations, six platoons of Armed forces with 30 personnel in each platoon, teams of OCTOPUS (Organisation for Counter Terrorist Operations), special branch, and central crime station, will be guarding the stadium during the match. Some 509 personnel from the traffic wing and the fire brigade would also be present in and around the stadium.  

“The stadium is under surveillance of 200 CCTV cameras which will be monitored from the joint command and control room at the stadium. Anti-sabotage checks will continue round-the-clock until the match is over. Scanners have been installed at the stadium to detect explosives and prohibited material inside the venue. The bomb disposal team and sniffer dogs have already been pressed into service to ensure safety in the stadium and at parking places,” said the commissioner.

He said that VIPs and VVIPs would have a road clearance party and an escort vehicle from the city security wing. Separate teams are being deployed for checking the movements of antisocial elements. “There will be four special mobile technician teams at each gate to check the mobile phones of spectators before allowing them inside,” he said.

For the convenience of spectators, the Hyderabad Metro Rail will run till 1 am on March 3.

Given the number of spectators expected, the number of ambulances on standby has been increased from three to eight, and five fire tenders will be present at the stadium.

SHE Teams and anti-eve-teasing teams will also be stationed at the stadium. The public has been told not to carry items such as laptops, cameras, banners, water bottles, cigarettes, electronic items (except mobile phones), matchboxes, lighters, metal objects, binoculars, coins, pens, batteries, helmets, perfumes, bags and eatables purchased outside.