Bhubaneswar: With Odisha gearing up to host the upcoming international T-20 match between India and South Africa on December 9, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has instructed officials concerned to ensure that all arrangements are made to make the event a grand success and flawless.
He emphasized the need for meticulous planning and execution to showcase Odisha’s capabilities in hosting international events at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, which has previously hosted several international matches.
CM Majhi chaired a preparatory meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan today to review the arrangements for the upcoming T-20 match between India and South Africa at Barabati Stadium. He advised officials from the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and state administration to ensure the event is conducted flawlessly, upholding Odisha’s reputation.
Majhi emphasized that cricket is a highly popular sport in India, and the match will be under scrutiny from across the country and the world. He urged everyone involved to be vigilant and work together to ensure the match is a grand success.
In the meeting, OCA secretary Sanjay Behera provided a detailed update on match preparations, covering ticket sales, spectator facilities, lighting, infrastructure, fire safety, parking, and traffic management.
Majhi also emphasized the need for foolproof security arrangements during the international match, citing the Delhi blast incident. He instructed the police administration to be extra vigilant and ensure the safety of spectators.
Besides, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of a well-organized green corridor for transporting people with disabilities or other difficulties. He also emphasized proper crowd control, ticket sales, and emergency medical services, instructing officials to oversee these aspects and ensure a smooth event.
According to the meeting, seating arrangements will be made according to the capacity of each stand, with a specific number of spectators allowed. Continuous lighting will be ensured with additional generators, and new software will be installed to monitor the system. If one generator fails, another will kick in, maintaining uninterrupted lighting throughout the match.
The meeting was attended by several dignitaries, including Chief Minister’s advisor Prakash Mishra, Sports and Youth Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, Angul MLA and OCA member Pratap Chandra Pradhan, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Home Department Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu, Director-General of Police YB Khurania, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra, OCA President Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, and OCA Secretary Sanjay Behera.
Other attendees included principal secretaries and secretaries from various departments, the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner, Cuttack District Collector, and senior officials, who discussed the match arrangements.
