The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Focus on safety of visitors to fair Law & order

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 13, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Focus on safety of visitors to fair Law & order

Crowd will be monitored using CCTVs positioned at 10 vantage points, says L. Srikrishna

The annual Ideal Home Exhibition that began on Friday at the Tamukkam Ground in Madurai is expected to receive about four lakh visitors in the next 11 days, according to its organisers.

Elaborate arrangements have been made from security and safety point of view for the visitors, says exhibition chairman S. Anburajan. For the convenience of public, separate places had been earmarked for parking two-wheelers and four-wheelers at the t ail- end of the fair ground. “From this year, there will be one gate exclusively for entry and another for exit, so as to decongest traffic on Gandhi Museum Road, especially on weekends,” he says.

There will be about 300 stalls displaying several products including those that meet home needs and domestic consumables. “While the entry is permitted with a fee of Rs. 10 per adult, to manage the crowd inside each bay, we have installed closed circuit televisions (CCTV) at 10 vantage points. The crowds will be monitored from a control room. This will not only discourage miscreants, but also help in easy identification of trouble-makers,” Mr. Anburajan says.

“We expect 30,000 to 40,000 visitors on weekdays. The numbers may go up marginally on weekends,” he adds. Many office-bearers — both present and past — of Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITTSIA), the organisers of the fair, have been entrusted with specific tasks.

Apart from providing wide bays, uni-flow system will make viewers have a glimpse at each outlet without any hindrance.

Fire prevention

Fire extinguishers have been positioned on the bays and fire tenders stationed at the fair venue. Care has been taken to ensure that food court has adequate space for people to move around. There will be an air-conditioned pavilion for select products, Mr. Anburajan says.

A senior police officer said that people visiting the fair should park their vehicles only at areas identified for two-wheelers and four-wheelers inside the ground and cooperate with police personnel regulating the traffic outside the venue.

In the event of a huge turnout, vehicles can also be parked opposite the venue on Gandhi Museum Road (near Corporation Commissioner’s official residence), the police officer added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu