All preparations for Dehradun Marathon- 2016 scheduled on Sunday have been completed. Participants have been directed to reach the venue by 6.30 am and the marathon will be flagged off at 7 am by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat. The theme of the 21 km run is fighting corruption and drugs. Around 25000 persons, including India’s well-known athletes, students of various schools and colleges and youths working in various Dehradun- based industries aside from some foreigners have registered for this event and expected to participate in the run which will be held in three categories-21 km, 7 km and 2 km-, said Uttarakhand police sports control board secretary ADGP Ashok Kumar while interacting with the media persons at police lines on Friday.
Around 18, 000 persons had registered themselves through online atwww.uttarakhandpolice.uk.gov.in or facebook page kiosks at police lines Dehradun Garhwal Range office and sports office pavilion ground. Around 8000 students of 150 schools have enrolled themselves for the event, it is learnt. Personnel from NSG, BSF, ITBP, Army, 10 IPS officers and 10 foreigners from United States of America, Brazil, Nageria and other places have also enrolled. Around 2000 persons have enrolled for the 21 km race and two kilometer race. Around 14, 000 persons have been enrolled for 7km race. For 21 km race, participates would follow the route from Police lines, Survey Chowk, EC Road, Naini Bakery, Bahal Chowk, Rajpur Road, Hotel Great Value to East Canal, Kishanpur IG Sanjay Gunjyal said that participates should collect Bib numbers and T shirts from police lines on Saturday. Candidates should carry their age certificates as well. Cultural programme would be held too, he said, adding that the Olympian Manish Rawat and international level Badminton player Kuhu Garg would participate in the Marathon. Besides, Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal would perform during the event.
He said that there will be no award for 2 km marathon run which will be for fun to show the solidarity with the cause. The 2km run would start from police lines and would go to Bannu School and from there would return to police lines. The 7km marathon run would start from police lines and would go to Survey Chowk.
Winners of 7km and 21km marathon run in male and female categories would be awarded cash prize of Rs one lakh each.
Gunjyal said that Dehradun Marathon2016 is an Uttarakhand police initiative to help the people stand united for a common cause.
Dehradun SSP Sweety Aggarwal said that there will be adequate arrangements en-route, including water points and medical aids, apart from a large number of volunteers who have joined hands with Uttarakhand police to make the event a huge success. Traffic plan has been drafted accordingly for the marathon to ensure that the commuters face least of inconveniences on the roads, the run on.