New Delhi Gears Up For High-Tech Security For Commonwealth Games 2010

New Delhi Gears Up For High-Tech Security For Commonwealth Games 2010
20th October, 2009

As New Delhi prepares for welcoming 71 teams and 8500 athletes from 52 countries for the commonwealth games 2010, the security concerns are mounting day by day for the authorities. Australia recently showed deep concern over the security of athletes, officials and tourists who would be in New Delhi between the 3rd and the 14th of October, the dates for the prestigious 12 day event.

Reaffirming New Delhi's focus on security issues, Delhi Police Commissioner Mr. Y. S. Dadwal unwielded detailed plans of how security and traffic would be managed during the games on Monday, 19th October. Mr. Dadwal said "We believe that we can have safe Games only if the rest of the city is safe". So while the games are under way from October 3rd to 14th, the authorities will literally be on high alert with IAF helicopters guarding the skies over the venues and the games village, snipers keeping an eye on the venues and all routes taken by the athletes and the VIPs, access to restricted areas monitored using CPR cameras and tyre killers, separate exclusive Games lanes on all major roads and un-cloneable identification cards for all security personnel. Delhi Police will be following and keeping track of all VIPs, athletes, officials and dignitaries from the moment they set foot inside New Delhi.

During the games, cops will take charge of the venues, the games village and 12 hotels where the visitors will be staying. A Central Command and Control Center and Information (C4i) will be set up at the headquarters of the Delhi Police which will centrally monitor the movements of all visitors. CCTV cameras fitted all over the city will bring live feeds to this Contol Center.

Another point of concern for the Delhi Police is that The Commonwealth Games 2010 will be coinciding exactly with the festive season with Navratra, Durga Pooja, Dussehra and Id-Ul-Fitr all being celebrated during the 12 day period of the games. Although security resources are always stretched during this period, Mr. Dadwal assured that the authorities are confident of handling the pressure.

Mr. Neeraj Kumar, special commissioner of police (administration) explained that all the venues will be divided into four security zones. The 1st outermost zone will have parking and traffic checking where the tickets will be checked. In the 2nd zone, there will be soft checking and valid visitors would be allowed in. In the 3rd zone, ticket barcodes will be checked along with photo ids and VIP cars would be passed through car scanners. In the 4th innermost zone, which will be an area within 30 meters from the venue, there will be physical frisking of all visitors using door-framed or hand-held metal detectors.

Pragati Maidan will serve as the center for all the media personnel to do international broadcasting of the event and will also be used to screen any material supplies for the venues and the games village.

All visitors will be divided into seven categories, namely: athletes, T1-VIPs from participating countries), T2-families of athletes, VIPs, technical officials, media and performers.