TOI Exclusive | ICC Women's World Cup: Cops set tough terms for KSCA to host matches

Bengaluru: In a fresh jolt to the Karnataka State Cricket Association's (KSCA) aspiration of hosting ICC Women's World Cup matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the state police department has identified 17 requirements that need to be met before the stadium is reassessed and declared fit to host international matches.According to sources, the police department wrote to KSCA on Tuesday with a timeline of 15 days to fulfill the requirements that were put together after the police department inspected the facilities at the 51-year-old venue. The checks and balances have been put in place after a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory on June 4 left 11 dead.

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In the letter, reviewed by TOI, police have flagged parking, medical facilities, fire, women's safety, and security measures as key concerns.

Given that the stadium is situated in the heart of the city, some of the remedial measures seem far-fetched. Incidentally, the stadium has been without power for over a month for failing to comply with the fire safety norms.According to the schedule issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the city is slated to host five matches, including the tournament opener on Sept 3 and the final on Nov 2.Parking woes are the first issue addressed in the letter. KSCA has been asked to provide both four-wheeler and two-wheeler parking facilities for spectators during matches.

To avoid congestion on the roads, the stadium authorities have been asked to earmark drop-off and pick-up areas.One of the grey areas identified in the report is the use of footpaths for entry and exit, which leads to traffic snarls.Outlining the fact that many of the stadium gates are narrow, the report states, "All entrances and exits shall be at least six feet wide with bumps, dips and steps repaired to facilitate easy entry and exit for spectators."Addressing safety concerns, the report states that, since there are no designated safe areas in the event of an emergency, an area needs to be identified for the same. A requirement of baggage scanners at all entry points with CCTV coverage and a long-term backup has been laid down. For better accountability, setting up a real-time crowd flow monitoring system has been mandated.Medical facilities were a talking point in the aftermath of the stampede.

Addressing the issue, a permanent medical arrangement as per triage rules has been recommended, along with an adequate number of ambulances, and separate routes for ambulances need to be earmarked as well.

With a little over a month left for the marquee event, it will be a race against time for the depleted KSCA administration to put its house in order.Talking PointsProvide parking facilitiesSeparate routes for spectatorsIdentify safe places for disaster management Install bag scanners at all gates In-stadium stakeholders to obtain a police verification certificate Real-time crowd-flow monitoring system Separate entry for women and children Permanent medical facilities Audit on fire extinguishers, electrical equipment and connections Separate entry and exit for players