Delhi Police have prepared to manage up to 50,000 people at the India bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, with additional arrangements planned on surrounding roads if attendance exceeds the ground’s capacity, Central Delhi DCP Rohit Rajbir said. The rally is being held by opposition parties seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
DCP Rajbir said the police had arranged to handle a crowd of approximately 45,000 to 50,000 people inside the venue. If more people arrive, officers will make arrangements for them on nearby roads to prevent the gathering from becoming difficult to control within the ground.
A large part of Ramlila Maidan was still vacant when the police briefed the media, allowing most attendees to be accommodated inside the venue. People had begun arriving from around 5.30 am, according to the report.
Security checks have been established at the ground using door-frame metal detectors, while police personnel have been deployed across the site. DCP Rajbir said there were no restrictions on the movement of people, and that the police were coordinating with rally organisers on security arrangements.
The area around Ramlila Maidan has been covered by between 200 and 250 CCTV cameras, according to the DCP. The organisers have also set up their own control room, and the police and organisers are working together to monitor security across the venue and its surroundings.
Several enclosures have been created inside the ground, with police personnel stationed within them and along the routes between the enclosures. These internal passages are intended to help maintain security and manage movement through the venue as attendance rises.
Volunteers from the Seva Dal, civil defence committee and local residents’ association representatives are also assisting the police. Their role includes helping manage crowds on roads around the ground, where a larger-than-expected turnout could affect movement for residents and other road users.
The Delhi Police have also deployed thousands of personnel from the paramilitary forces for the rally, according to the report. Police said they were working to ensure that local residents did not face inconvenience while the event was under way.
The arrangements place the immediate focus on managing the transition between the venue and its surrounding streets. The police have said that additional space on nearby roads will be used if the crowd exceeds the number that can be accommodated inside Ramlila Maidan. The rally organisers and security agencies are coordinating through their respective control rooms and deployed teams.
