India–South Africa T20 Match: Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday reviewed preparations for the upcoming international T-20 match between India and South Africa scheduled to be held at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on December 9.
Chairing a high-level preparatory meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan, the Chief Minister directed senior officials of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the state administration to ensure flawless arrangements for the smooth conduct of the match.
Highlighting Odisha’s reputation for hosting major international sporting events, CM Majhi said that the entire nation and the world would be watching the match, and therefore every effort should be made to maintain the dignity of the state by organizing it in a well-regulated and disciplined manner.
OCA Secretary Shri Sanjay Behera briefed the meeting on the ongoing preparations, including ticket sales, spectator facilities, lighting systems, stadium infrastructure, fire safety, parking, and traffic management.
Referring to the recent blast incident in Delhi, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for fool-proof security arrangements. He instructed the police administration to remain extra vigilant to ensure the safety of spectators.
He also stressed on the creation of a well-organized green corridor for emergency movement and directed officials to ensure efficient crowd control, emergency medical arrangements, and real-time monitoring of match operations.
Officials informed that additional gensets have been arranged to ensure uninterrupted power supply, supported by new software to monitor lighting systems. In case of any genset failure, an alternative will be activated immediately to maintain continuous illumination.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister’s Advisor Shri Prakash Mishra, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Shri Suryavansi Suraj, Angul MLA and OCA member Shri Pratap Chandra Pradhan, Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Shri Satyabrat Sahu, DGP Shri Y.B. Khurania, Principal Secretary to CM Shri Shashwat Mishra, OCA President Shri Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, and senior officials from various departments, Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissionerate, and Cuttack district administration.
