With tight security in place, MHA issues advisory for CWG visitors

NEW DELHI - A day ahead of the opening ceremony of XIX Commonwealth Games to be held in the capital, the government has put in place adequate security arrangements for the security of all.

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday said, “Adequate security arrangements have been put in place to provide security to the sportspersons, officials, spectators, invitees, volunteers and workforce as well as to the entire city of Delhi.”

Along with the tickets, the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games has circulated Do’s and Don’ts for ticket-holders.

On Saturday evening, issuing an advisory for the general public, the MHA reiterated the Do’s and Don’ts related to the Games and also stated that all those visiting the Games venues should also observe some guidelines.

As per the guidelines, it has been requested to all visitors to the Commonwealth Games, that to reach the venue on time and be in your seat before the start of the competition, one should plan well in advance taking into account the possible traffic.

The visitors have been asked that the sooner they reach the venue, the quicker they will be able to reach their seats. They should be prepared to wait in a queue.

It has been stated that closer to the time of the start of the competition, the number of ticket-holders and invitees may be more and the queue may be longer.

All visitors have been asked to carry their tickets or accreditation cards (together with the ticket) without fail, as nobody will be admitted without a ticket or an accreditation card (together with the ticket).

The guidelines also state that Flap Barriers and RF readers have been installed to “read” the ticket and the accreditation card. If the reading shows the ticket or accreditation card as ‘invalid’, a second attempt would be made, and if the second attempt too showed the ticket or the accreditation card as ‘invalid’, the person would not be admitted.

In addition, every person will be frisked and checked.

The MHA’s advisory states that it is possible that the flap barrier or the RF reader may fail sometimes, for a few minutes, owing to technological glitches. In such a case, the security personnel will do a thorough manual check of the person, the ticket and the accreditation card and you must be prepared to subject yourself to the manual check. In addition, every person will be frisked and checked.

If there is a manual check of ticket-holders/accreditation card holders, it’s been informed that the wait in the queue may get longer. All visitors have been advised to kindly put up with the inconvenience patiently.

Visitors, for the Opening and Closing ceremonies, have been requested to take the seat according to the ‘block’, ‘row’ and ‘number’ printed on the ticket.

For the other Games events the visitors will be guided to the ‘block’ mentioned on your ticket, in which you must take your seat.

It has been requested to abide by the guidance that will be provided by the ushers.

The guidelines also state that only a few vehicles/cars with authorised ‘vehicle access passes’ will be allowed to go up to the designated points in the games venues. “If you are travelling by a car with an authorised ‘vehicle access pass’, you will be required to alight at a designated point. You must walk the remaining distance to the entry gates.”

As some games venues have designated parking lots, if the visitor’s vehicle/car has an authorised ‘vehicle access pass’, the vehicle/car will be allowed to be parked at the designated parking lot. “Your vehicle/car must be parked in the designated parking lot in accordance with the directions given by the security personnel.”

Visitors have also been advised to be prepared to walk to the designated parking lot to get into their vehicles by the end of the competition/game, you must.

Visitors travelling by vehicles which do not have a ‘vehicle access pass’ have been advised to use the Park and Ride or the Park and Walk schemes.

Citizens have been requested to use public transport as far as possible and advised not to carry items which figure on the restricted list.

The Ministry of Home Affairs’ advisory states that the Do’s and Dont’s and these ‘Guidelines’ will apply to every visitor and there will be no relaxation and no exception will be made in any case. All are requested to cooperate. (ANI)