In view of the upcoming Tata IPL 2026 matches on March 28, the city police have intensified security preparations at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to ensure smooth and safe conduct of the matches. Central Division DCP Akshay M Hakay personally visited the stadium on Monday and reviewed the security arrangements in detail.
During the inspection, the DCP checked vital areas including spectator stands, waiting areas, entry and exit points, and other sensitive locations within the stadium premises. He also held discussions with officials and staff of Karnataka State Cricket Association, DNA Networks, and National Disaster Assistance (NDA) teams to assess preparedness and coordination.
Speaking to HT DCP, Akshay said: “We have conducted a comprehensive inspection of the stadium, including stands, waiting areas and emergency access points. Based on last year’s experience, we are not taking any chances this time. Complete emergency arrangements have been made to ensure public safety.”
He also added: “All agencies, including KSCA, Special Events Managers, and Emergency Response Teams, are working in close coordination. We have deployed adequate police personnel, and crowd management strategies have been strengthened to prevent any untoward incidents.”
The heightened security measures come against the backdrop of a tragic incident that occurred last year at the same place, where a stampede-like situation led to chaos and raised serious concerns about crowd control and safety lapses. Learning from that incident, the police department has now adopted stricter protocols, including better barriers, orderly entry, and designated holding areas to manage large crowds.
Officials said special attention is being paid to emergency response, surveillance and real-time monitoring systems. Surveillance cameras are being closely monitored, and additional personnel have been deployed in key areas to deal with peak crowd movement during match hours.
The police also coordinated with traffic authorities to simplify vehicle movement around the stadium and avoid crowding on match days. General warnings and guidelines are expected to be issued before matches to ensure compliance and cooperation from spectators.
