Security beefed up for T20 match in city

Visakhapatnam: The Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium and its surrounding areas fall under strict police surveillance as it is gearing up for the T20 international cricket match between India and Australia scheduled to be held on Thursday in the city. Keeping the crowd in view, the city police have made elaborate arrangements to beef up the security.

Barricades have been arranged along the stadium to prevent any disturbance and the ACPs were assigned responsibility at the entry gates leading to the stadium.

The police officials informed that the stadium has been divided into sections in order to facilitate a three-layered security and arrangements pertaining to it have been made in and around the stadium.

Speaking on the occasion, Police Commissioner A Ravi Shankar mentioned that security arrangements have been made with the support of close to 2,000 police personnel to host the match in a hassle-free manner. Also, extensive checks are being carried out all along the routes connecting the city, the CP added.

Explaining special measures taken for the purpose, DCP-1 K Srinivasa Rao, said, “Through our special measures, efforts are on to trace fake tickets. Genuine tickets will play music when they get scanned. The tickets are printed along with the stand and gate numbers so that people can occupy their respective seats without any confusion.”

Cautioning the people, the police said miscreants would sell fake tickets by taking a photocopy of original tickets in colour and informed that people should be aware of such possibilities and not fall prey to it.

As the capacity of the stadium is 28,000 and a large fleet of vehicles is expected to arrive in the locality, the police appealed to the motorists, who do not watch the match, to take diverted routes.