Delhi Police has prepared to manage a crowd of up to 50,000 people at the INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, with nearby roads to be used if attendance exceeds the venue’s capacity, Central DCP Rohit Rajbir said on Sunday.
The rally site can accommodate approximately 45,000 to 50,000 people, according to the officer. If more attendees arrive, police will make arrangements to accommodate them on surrounding roads. The DCP said a large portion of the ground was still vacant and that seating or standing arrangements would be available for most participants within the venue.
The police have installed door-frame metal detectors at entry points and deployed personnel for security checks. The DCP said there were no restrictions on the movement of people and that the police were coordinating with the event organisers on security arrangements.
Security coverage around Ramlila Maidan includes between 200 and 250 closed-circuit television cameras, according to Rajbir. The organisers have set up their own control room, while the police and organisers are working together to monitor the area and maintain security.
Several enclosures have been created inside the ground, with police personnel deployed within them and along connecting pathways. Volunteers from the Seva Dal, the Civil Defence Committee and local resident associations are also assisting with crowd management, including on roads around the venue.
The DCP said attendees began arriving at the rally from around 5.30 am and described the arrangements as orderly. Police were also taking steps to ensure that residents living near the venue did not face inconvenience, he said.
Delhi Police, along with thousands of paramilitary personnel, has been deployed for the opposition INDIA bloc rally. The opposition parties are demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from office. The police’s stated plan for additional crowds relies on extending management beyond the formal event ground to surrounding roads, while retaining CCTV surveillance, multiple security enclosures and coordination with organisers as the rally proceeds.
