Delhi under security blanket ahead of Games

PTI

New Delhi, 02 October 2010: From helicopters to snipers and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, the national capital will witness unprecedented security arrangements for any sports event ever in the country as the 19th Commonwealth Games starts rolling out on Sunday. Over 100,000 security personnel including gun-toting commandos have being deployed to thwart any threat to the sporting extravaganza.

 

Australian Sports Minister Mark Arbib, who had recently taken a round of the Games Village had said, “Security is very tight and even I had trouble getting in.” While Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal is the overall in charge of the security, the Home Ministry keeps a close tab on all arrangements with Home Minister P Chidambaram taking a keen interest.

 

Defence helicopters with commandos will do an aerial survey of the Games Village and stadiums at regular intervals. The helicopters will receive additional support from three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which will also be pressed into service to carry out surveillance and keep vigil at regular intervals.

 

According to various security agency sources, security personnel deployed for the Games include about 175 paramilitary companies (about 18,000 personnel) including 3,000 commandos, 100 anti-sabotage teams, 200 specially trained dogs and 15 bomb disposal squads.

 

 

Moreover, sources said about 150 personnel of the Delhi Police’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) have been trained by the Indian Air Force and the NSG to shoot down suspicious manned or unmanned “flying objects.” Not to forget the Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear (CBRN) teams of the NDRF and the Army being deployed as an extra caution. Besides the Army has also been put on standby, the sources said.

 

While there is no intelligence input to pinpoint any specific threat, one cannot take any chances, they said. “We work not just based on specific inputs but also on threat perception. The focus of both domestic and international media is on the Games and any small incident will get lot of publicity,” a source said.

 

Helping out the security personnel are a slew of gadgets that have been bought for the Games including baggage and car scanners, pass readers, integrated CCTV cameras and others. An integrated communication room has been set up at the Police Headquarters here, which gives round-the-clock access to all venues through the CCTV network.

 

Security has also been beefed up in tourist hot spots also. From airport to the Metro link and malls, security has been tightened to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. Bunkers have been set up at many spots in the national capital. Besides the paramilitary forces, who are assisting the Delhi Police, personnel of other state police has also been roped in including those from Maharashtra and Haryana.

 

“Such large security arrangements have never been put in place for any sports event. Months of planning and meetings have preceded the security cover that you see,” a senior police official said. The Home Ministry in a statement said, “Adequate security arrangements have been put in place in order to provide security to the sportspersons, officials, spectators, invitees, volunteers and workforce as well as to the entire city of Delhi.”