Ahmedabad gets ready to host WC opener; Gujarat BJP distributes 40,000 free tickets

Ahmedabad is all set to host the ICC World Cup 2023 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera on Thursday, October 5. With one day to go for the opening match between the last edition's finalists England and New Zealand, cricket fans have started pouring into Ahmedabad from all over the world.

In view of the massive rush for the World Cup opener, the timings of the city metro train services have been extended by three hours and the purchase of tickets for the return journey has been eased for five days on and from October 5. Ahmedabad will host five World Cup matches including the blockbuster India vs Pakistan on October 14, and the final on November 19. All will be day/night contests, starting at 2 PM.

“Presently, metro train services in Ahmedabad are operated between 6:20 AM and 10:00 PM at a frequency of 12 minutes throughout the day. In view of the World Cup cricket matches, metro trains will be available from 6.20 am to 1 am on the five days when the city shall be hosting the matches. To avoid the rush in the purchase of tickets for the return journey from the Motera, the nearest station to the stadium, the metro rail authorities have made available the facility of paper tickets which can be purchased at any time in the day. For the return journey tickets are priced at Rupees 50 per person for a journey up to any station after 10 pm on the match days,” the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) said in a media release.

Trophy reaches Gujarat

The ICC World Cup trophy made a stop at Ektanagar (formerly Kevadiya) in Narmada district before it reached Ahmedabad where the captains of all the 10 participating teams will have a photoshoot with the trophy today. October 4.

Noticeably, the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) announced that the grand opening ceremony event that was planned for October 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera has been cancelled for security reasons. Instead, the photoshoot of the team captains with the trophy shall be the only event before the match kicks off on October 5.

Apart from local cultural groups, the opening ceremony extravaganza was to include various Bollywood stars' performances at the stadium followed by a laser show.

Security beefed up

The Gujarat Police have planned to deploy 30 per cent of the total force of Ahmedabad city police at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 5. Around 3,500 police personnel from the Ahmedabad city unit are to be deployed at the stadium that seats 132,000 people.

"There will be one police officer on duty for every 37 spectator seats at the stadium,” said Sanjay Srivastava, Additional Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad.

“We are expecting that about 85,000 seats to be occupied for the opening match on October 5. There shall be other security personnel deployed apart from the Ahmedabad police. Of the total deployment, about 40 per cent will be directed to manage traffic in and around Motera and 60 per cent will be on duty for security inside and outside the stadium,” he added.

Apart from this, a social media review team has been set up by Gujarat Police that shall continuously scan the internet and will be mixing about in the crowd at the stadium in plainclothes. The Gujarat Police also have a counter-terrorism database prepared that has been updated from the last six months about watching the event.

“Trans-national, international or inter-state organised criminals who have the potential to cause hindrance to the event are on surveillance. We have adequate staff on the ground in the city who will ensure the safety of the people. We have allotted teams consisting of specially trained commandos. We are setting up three spheres of cyber, physical, and telecom that will be monitored so that there are no loose ends,” said Harsh Upadhyay, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat.

“Trans-national, international or inter-state organised criminals who have the potential to cause hindrance to the event are on surveillance. We have adequate staff on the ground in the city who will ensure the safety of the people. We have allotted teams consisting of specially trained commandos. We are setting up three spheres of cyber, physical, and telecom that will be monitored so that there are no loose ends,” said Harsh Upadhyay, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat.