Odisha CM reviews preparations for India-South Africa T20 match in Cuttack, stresses flawless arrangements and security

Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan to assess preparations for the upcoming India-South Africa T20 International scheduled to be held at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, on December 9.

Emphasising Odisha’s reputation for successfully hosting major international sporting events, the chief minister directed the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the state administration to ensure seamless arrangements for the match, underscoring that the event must reflect the state’s “prestige and organisational excellence.”

During the meeting, OCA secretary Sanjay Behera gave a detailed presentation on match preparations, covering ticketing, spectator facilities, lighting systems, infrastructure, parking and traffic management. Chief minister Majhi stressed that meticulous coordination between OCA and senior officials was essential to deliver a world-class sporting experience.

Referring to the recent explosion in Delhi, Majhi instructed the police administration to implement fullproof security measures for the international fixture. He called for heightened vigilance, deployment of sufficient personnel and real-time monitoring to ensure public safety.

The chief minister also advised creating a green corridor for the swift movement of emergency and medical vehicles and directed close supervision over crowd control, ticket sales and emergency healthcare services.

According to the OCA briefing, spectator seating arrangements will be managed stand-wise as per capacity, while additional backup generators and monitoring software have been installed to guarantee uninterrupted lighting during the match.

The meeting was attended by chief minister’s advisor Prakash Mishra, sports minister Suryabanshi Suraj, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja, DGP YB Khurania, OCA president Pankaj Lochan Mohanty and several senior officials from key departments, the Cuttack collector, and the commissioner of police (Cuttack–Bhubaneswar).