The Delhi Half Marathon is expected to draw more than 41,000 runners on Sunday, prompting expanded Metro services, revised race routes, additional medical teams and a city-wide waste-management plan for the event.
Promoter Procam International said the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2026 will record its highest turnout across its on-ground and virtual categories. The race is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, and minor changes are being made to the half-marathon route because of extensive barricading at several locations.
The Open 10K will start from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 7.35am instead of Sansad Marg and will follow a revised course. The final route is expected to be announced within a few days, according to Vivek Singh, joint managing director of Procam International.
Hydration arrangements will include 12 water stations, nine rehydration stations and three mist zones. A Red Bull station will also be placed along the course. Twelve motivation zones will feature sponsor activities and performances by the Navy Band, Delhi Drummers Circle and Youth for Seva groups.
Medical preparedness has been expanded for the expected crowd. Metro Group of Hospitals will deploy 450 medical staff, with 11 medical stations along the route, two in the holding area and one in the post-refreshment area. A medical base camp with an intensive care unit will be set up beyond the finish line.
The medical plan also includes 25 medical spotters, nine medics on bikes, 12 advanced cardiac life support ambulances and three golf carts. The arrangements were outlined by Dr Sameer Gupta, senior interventional cardiologist and director at Metro Group of Hospitals, and Dr Sonia Lal Gupta, senior neurologist and joint managing director of the group.
Delhi Metro will begin services at 3.30am on Sunday on the Red, Yellow, Blue and Violet lines, covering key catchment areas for participants. Trains will run every 15 minutes until 4.15am and every 20 minutes until regular scheduled services begin. Registered participants will be allowed to travel free, with each receiving two QR-coded wristbands for entry and exit.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has deployed additional manpower and will share travel information through social media. E-rickshaws will transport participants from Jor Bagh Metro station to the drop-off point at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Traffic arrangements will involve around 200 personnel, including 70 to 80 traffic police officers from the Defence Colony police post area alone. Delhi Police said preparations had been under way to manage the route and reduce disruption during the event.
The organisers also plan to run a fully waste-managed race, with no waste sent to landfills. The New Delhi Municipal Council, Hasiru Dala Innovations and Chintan will support the programme, while more than 100 NDMC sanitation workers will collect and segregate waste.
Organisers said leftover water would be used to irrigate nearby trees, while branding materials would be converted into shelters and floor mats. PET bottles and packaging will be recycled, food waste composted and sewage treated at authorised facilities. Digital forms, e-handbooks, uncovered bibs and paper-bag kits are intended to reduce paper and plastic use, while electric vehicles will be used for crew and operational requirements.
The event has received bronze-level recognition from World Athletics for sustainability and responsible event management. Procam International said a Miranda House survey based on 5,000 interviews estimated the previous edition’s socioeconomic and health impact at more than Rs 400 crore.
