Gujarat: The atmosphere is festive in Ahmedabad, with a cricketcrazy nation pulling out all the stops as hosts India are to take on Australia at the final of the ODI Cricket World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will be leading the more than 100 celebrities who will be among the audience. More than 60 chartered flights have landed in the city, where 10,000 security personnel have been deployed.
The skies are already reverberating with the sound of the Suryakirans of the Indian Air Force rehearsing their acrobatic manoeuvres for D-Day. The Ahmedabad airport is set to be closed for all air traffic for 45 minutes to facilitate their performance.
Bollywood is also making its presence felt with some tinseltown celebrities attending and some showcasing their skills. On the cards is also a victory parade of captains of world cup winners, with 1,200 drones being used to light up the sky with the name of this edition's Cup winner.
Hotel room rents have shot through the roof and some room tarrifs have touched Rs 2 lakh. Hotels in nearby towns are also fully booked.
Airport Runs Out Of Parking Space For Planes
Ahmedabad Airport has also run out of parking space for planes, which are now being diverted to nearby airports. The fan frenzy has come as a boon for people to make a fast buck with tickets being up for sale on the dark-web. Betting syndicates are also gearing up for the marquee event and bets will be placed in phases.
More than 5,000 personnel of the police force and various agencies including paramilitary personnel will be deployed in and around the stadium. These will include four Inspectors General of Police, 23 Deputy Commissioners of Police, 27 Assistant Commissioners of Police, 82 Police Inspectors, 230 Police Sub Inspectors, and 4,000 jawans will be deployed in the stadium and surrounding areas. Cameras and drones will be deployed to keep an eye on the proceedings. A special control room has been set up for the co-ordination.
Personnel of the Rapid Action Force and National Disaster Response Force will also be deployed. An additional force of 1,400 personnel headed by an Inspector General will take care of traffic management.
Special Parking Measures Taken
Only 1,100 vehicles of VVIPs and some guests will be allowed parking in the stadium complex. Vehicles of other spectators will be parked in 15 plots that can accommodate 22,250 vehicles. There are 13 dedicated parking plots for two wheelers.
Metro train services towards the stadium are being increased and will be run till late at night. AMTS and BRTS bus services will be run till 1 am on Monday. A total of 160 additional buses will be deployed.
