Mumbai:
The IPL 3 semi-finals have been shifted from Bangalore to Mumbai and this city is taking no chances. The DY Patil stadium where the first semi-final match will be played on Wednesday has been turned into a fortress.
As home team Mumbai Indians take on the Royal Challengers, at the back of every mind is the fact that Mumbai gained at the cost of Bangalore only because of security concerns after the blast outside the Chinnaswamy stadium on Saturday.
Police have said spectators will not be allowed to carry phones, bags or bottles into the stadium.
"Patrons wishing to attend the matches will not be allowed to carry anything inside the stadium, including bags, mobile phone or water bottles," Director-General of Police A.N. Roy told mediapersons Monday afternoon.
There is heavy deployment of policemen at the stadium, which can hold 60,000 spectators, and the bomb detection and disposal squad and reserved forces will be pressed into service.
"It is evident from the explosions in Bengalore that the IPL is on the hit-list (of terrorists) and accordingly, the requisite number of police personnel has been deployed at the venue," he said.
Besides frisking spectators at each of the nine entry points, there will be over 60 metal detectors, a contingent of State Reserve Police Force commandos and police in plainclothes.
A large number of closed circuit television cameras will keep an eye inside and outside the stadium while a huge contingent of armed private security personnel will supplement the police efforts.
Apart from Wednesday's match, the second semi-finals on Thursday, a match for the third place on Saturday and the final on Sunday, April 25 will all be played at the DY Patil stadium.