Hockey World Cup security dry run for CWG: Delhi Police

Delhi Police will take the security arrangements for the hockey World Cup in New Delhi from Feb 28-March 13 as the dry run for the Commonwealth Games to be held in October, sources said.

“Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal has directed all officers to take it (hockey World Cup) as a dry run for Commonwealth Games security. It will be a full-fledged rehearsal where multiple agencies will coordinate and work hand-in-hand to prevent any untoward incident,” a highly placed source told IANS.

“Though the threat perception to Hockey World Cup is not as high as that of the Commonwealth Games, the standard operating procedures would be the same to check the operational preparedness, reaction time and way of handling any emergency,” the official added.

The multiple agencies involved in security arrangements are the district police, traffic police, security cell, central paramilitary forces, intelligence agencies and civic authorities.

The hockey World Cup will be held at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the heart of the national capital, where as the Commonwealth Games is scheduled to take place at multiple venues in October.

For the hockey World Cup, 13 countries, including Pakistan, Germany and Australia, are participating. In the Commonwealth Games, over 70 countries are participating.

A senior official said they have put entire Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium under electronic surveillance by installing around 200 close circuit television cameras.