No mask, no entry to Barabati Stadium in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: With a renewed Covid surge in the country raising concerns once again, the safety-protocols have been tightened including mandatory mask use for spectators visiting Barabati Stadium in Cuttack for the second T20 international between India and South Africa on Sunday.

Around 45,000 spectators are set to converge in the stadium for the first international cricket match to he hosted in Odisha after two and half years.The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has imposed ‘no mask- no entry’ for the spectators while issuing guidelines for Covid appropriate behaviour.

A senior police officer said the decision to make masks mandatory was taken in view of the recent spike in Covid cases in the country. Though Odisha has not yet registered a significant uptick in cases, the large gathering has its risks. While social distancing will not be possible at the stands, making masks compulsory is a way to minimise the risks.

“Checking will be conducted at the entry gates to ensure that the spectators are wearing masks as per the advisory issued by the OCA. The spectators are requested to follow all the Covid-19 guidelines,” said Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner, SK Priyadarsi. He also asked the spectators to maintain discipline during the match as Odisha has managed to build its image as the sports hub of the country. 

Unruly spectators had hurled water bottles into the ground when the two teams had last clashed in Barabati Stadium on October 5, 2015.  Odisha government was left embarrassed after the incident and had asked the then Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy to conduct an enquiry. Tripathy in his report had recommended several steps to avoid recurrence of such incidents in the future.

Priyadarsi said barring mobile phones, the spectators will not be allowed to carry any article with them inside the stadium. He warned that cigarette packets, lighters and match boxes, gutkha, paan and other tobacco products etc., will be confiscated at the entry gates. The police have also asked the spectators to leave helmets on their two-wheelers at the designated parking places.  As many as 62 platoons force have been deployed to provide security for the match.