Ranji Trophy: Increased Security and Gate Openings for Kohli's Fans
Click to start listening
Synopsis
New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium sees record fan turnout for the Delhi-Railways Ranji Trophy match, leading the DDCA to open additional gates and boost security measures, ensuring a safe environment for spectators eager to watch Virat Kohli return to the field.
Key Takeaways
- Increased fan turnout for the Ranji Trophy match.
- DDCA opens more gates to accommodate fans.
- Enhanced security measures in place.
- Food arrangements being made for attendees.
- Historical attendance levels at domestic matches.
New Delhi, Jan 30 (NationPress) The remarkable turnout of fans for the Delhi-Railways Ranji Trophy match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has prompted the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to announce that additional gates will be opened to accommodate those eager to witness Virat Kohli in action.
According to sources from the DDCA, once the VIP movement is completed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat post 11 AM, the remaining gates will be unlocked to facilitate entry for more fans, marking Kohli's return to the Ranji Trophy after over 12 years.
Moreover, it has been reported that senior DDCA officials are currently convening to ensure food provisions for fans are ready from day one. Initially, the DDCA anticipated an attendance of 10,000 fans, with gates 16 and 17 opened, and entry regulated based on Aadhaar cards.
However, with more than 15,000 fans arriving from various parts of Delhi, including Noida, Ghaziabad, and the wider NCR region, the DDCA's estimates were exceeded, necessitating the opening of gate number 18 for spectator access before the match commenced at 9:30 AM, where Delhi opted to bowl first after winning the toss against Railways.
Fans, eager to see Kohli play, were chanting his name along with that of his IPL team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, outside the venue and within the Gautam Gambhir and Bishen Singh Bedi stands. While preparations for food services were underway, RO water counters were already operational within the stadium.
Additionally, the DDCA is enhancing police presence, on top of existing private security arrangements, particularly following an incident where an enthusiastic fan rushed from the North Stand to touch Kohli's feet during the 12th over and was escorted away, although the batting icon, stationed at second slip, requested leniency for the intruder.
"Typically, we have 25-30 security personnel for a Ranji Trophy match in Delhi. However, with Virat in attendance, we have increased this number to 50 and now up to 100 security staff in the venue. We will also deploy police once they finish with their duties concerning VIP movement at Rajghat," the sources remarked.
IANS observed that police personnel were positioned near the boundary ropes of the North and West stands to prevent further intrusions following the earlier event. Sources indicated that they had not witnessed such a large crowd for a domestic red-ball game in New Delhi since a Duleep Trophy match in the 1980s, featuring Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar for the North and West Zones, respectively, underscoring Kohli's immense appeal in Indian cricket.
