Bhubaneswar: No major event will be successful without the support of fans and this is true in the case of Men’s Hockey World Cup which kicks off at Kalinga Stadium here Wednesday (today).
And, when it is the marquee event of hockey, people in Odisha are simply crazy. While the World Cup is an event for everyone to celebrate, the presence of Hindi film superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and music maestro AR Rahman at the inaugural function of the event Tuesday has not only added glitter to the 14th edition of the World Cup, but also jazzed up the excitement among hockey fans. The scene at the venue was one of bonhomie and celebration.
Fans had been making a beeline at the Kalinga Stadium since day break Tuesday for redemption of their tickets bought online earlier. The fortunate few who succeeded in getting a ticket for the inaugural ceremony were seen flaunting their entry passes before media persons who had assembled at the venue to capture the mood and ecstasy of the crowd. India team fans were dressed in colourful costumes with tattoos of the Indian Tricolour and carrying banners of Madhuri and SRK.
Kalkee Krushna, a city girl and a big fan of Shahrukh Khan, told Orissa POST that the very thought of watching SRK so closely gave her goosebumps and it was a dream come true for her to watch the superstar from such close proximity.
Dayanidhi Dahima, a fan of the ‘dhak dhak’ girl, said he was excited to be able to watch Madhuri Dixit perform at the stadium. Claiming to be a big fan of Madhuri, he said that he had watched all the movies that the ‘dhak dhak’ girl starred in. Though past her prime, Madhuri’s charm still enchants him and he considers it a privilege to watch her perform live.
Akshaya Rout of Kanas, on the other hand, was a depressed man. Donning the Shiva costume, he said he was making a last ditch effort to secure a ticket for the programme. He said that he had come to the stadium in ‘Shiva avatar’ hoping to get an entry into the stadium – by the grace of God.
Security
A thick blanket of security was thrown both inside as well as around the stadium. More than 75 platoons of police, including five quick response teams (QRT), two special tactical units (STUs) and one anti-terrorist squad, have been deployed in the area. In addition, 180 CCTVs have been installed inside the stadium.
The Commissionerate Police has set up a patient transportation corridor in the stadium to carry any player or spectator if injured or falls sick to the Apollo Hospital or Capital Hospital. Besides, the Health department has set up first aid kiosks in the three gallery stands of the stadium with ambulance vans for each.
To prevent any incident of stampede inside the stadium, the Commissionerate Police has made special arrangements to ensure smooth movement of spectators.
PNN
