Central security agencies have advised the organisers of Art of living’s ‘World Culture Festival’ to ensure that there are proper arrangements for the entry and dispersal of the participants. The entry and exit routes to the venue must be well regimented. Sources in the Central Intelligence agencies said that the use of extensive high power cabling should be allowed by the competent authorities and if they find any such usage, the permission should be cancelled to ensure safety and security of those participating in the mega event.
Sources told The Pioneer that AOl is directed to use two pontoon bridges for the exit of the participants in the function, to be held from March 11-13, so as to avoid any untoward incident of stampede. The organisers are also asked to put wire-meshing along the bridges to negate the possibility of any invitee falling inadvertently into the Yamuna.
In addition, security personnel and volunteers will be deployed on both the pontoon bridges to regulate and facilitate movement of participants. Taking cognizance of the tendency among the participants at the event to leave as early as possible, organizers of the event are asked to avail optimum use of these two pontoon bridges on conclusion of the event and also to bar the entry of outsiders at the termination of the function. Besides, AOl is directed to reserve the bridges for exiting crowd half an hour before the conclusion of the event on each day. No firework is allowed at the venue and the organizers were asked to be briefed accordingly, told sources.
To ensure the security arrangements, local threat perception and intelligence inputs are also going to be factored while making security arrangements for the visit. According to the sources, necessary law and order and traffic arrangements are behind made at all routes that will be taken by the visiting dignitary to ensure the programme is not disturbed in any manner. Alongside the security arrangements, parking spaces of vehicles are also being monitored as sources told that vehicles coming from trans-Yamuna area will enter through gate number 10, 11, 12 and 13 that are limited and unprepared so far. Hence, the number of vehicles gaining entry through these gates will be restricted exactly to the availability of the proper parking space.
A large number of electricity-operated systems are also being installed at the venue involving extensive high power cabling and the same will be checked by competent authorities to cancel out any electrical or fire hazard. In case of any medical contingency, the evacuation drill is planned to use gates on DND side for the evacuation of those people who are present on the same side. Besides, gate number 10-13 will be used as medical contingency exit for the spillover crowd watching the proceedings on lED screens across the Yamuna.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also issued advisory in the wake of heightened terror threat following inputs that 10 lashkar-e-Taiyaba and Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorists have entered India from Pakistan through Gujarat. The event slated to take place on the west bank of Yamuna floodplain near DND flyover, has been organised to celebrate 35 years of The Art of living. It is expected to attract around 35 lakh people.
It has come under the scanner of National Green Tribunal after a set of petitions were filed demanding its cancellation over concerns of potential permanent damage to the riverbed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the event on Friday. President Pranab Mukherjee was to attend the valedictory function on Sunday but he pulled out of the event yesterday citing "unavoidable circumstances".