The Hindu : National : Start deploying forces, Pillai tells police

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National

Start deploying forces, Pillai tells police

Don't wait for Organising Committee to hand over venues: Home Secretary

New Delhi: Exasperated at not being able to take over Commonwealth Games venues due to ongoing work, the Union Home Ministry on Sunday asked the Delhi police not to wait for the Organising Committee to hand them over and to start deploying forces at the earliest.

The direction to the Delhi police, nodal agency for Games security, came from Home Secretary G.K. Pillai at a review meeting here, sources said.

‘No compromise'

“Don't wait for the OC to hand over the venues to you. The work is still on but don't compromise on security. Start deploying forces and tighten security at the venues,” a senior police official said, summing up Mr. Pillai's direction.

Mr. Pillai is also understood to have asked the police to prepare a “standby” security plan as work is going on in the Games Village and at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The police are yet to ensure a complete lockdown of the Nehru stadium, missing five deadlines set by the Ministry due to ongoing construction works.

Communication network

At the meeting, the sources said, Mr. Pillai was also briefed on the difficulties faced by personnel in using the TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) network for communication.

When the Home Secretary asked for a feedback on TETRA, senior officials said connectivity was a “problem” and hence effective communication suffered.

The sources indicated that the Delhi police might go back to their TM (Top Management) Network for communication. “Most probably, we may go back to TM Network,” the senior police official said.

After the 90-minute meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal, NSG Director-General R.K. Medhekar, senior police officials, Games venue commanders and district police heads, Mr. Pillai told journalists that he was satisfied with the security arrangements.

‘Fully prepared'

“We had a complete review of security arrangements, looking at various issues and anticipating what type of threats could arise. We are trying to make sure that we are fully prepared to meet any eventuality.”

Mr. Pillai said that the review meeting was held to ask officials to be alert as it was a major task for the Delhi Police to ensure security “not just for athletes and Games venues but for the entire city itself.” — PTI

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