NEW DELHI: The India-Afghanistan T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium will go ahead as scheduled on September 13, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) said on Thursday.The announcement came hours after the Delhi Traffic Police asked the DDCA to reschedule the match, citing extensive security and traffic arrangements for the BRICS Summit, news agency PTI reported.The opening game of the three-match series is expected to draw 25,000 to 35,000 spectators, adding to the traffic and crowd-management challenge in central Delhi as the capital prepares for the September 12-13 summit.The DDCA, however, said it had been assured of necessary support by the Delhi Traffic Police and ruled out postponement.“India–Afghanistan 1st T20I on 13 September at Arun Jaitley Stadium will go ahead as scheduled,” the DDCA said in a post on X.“Following a meeting with Delhi Traffic Police, DDCA has been assured of all necessary support and arrangements. No postponement,” it added.
Traffic police had sought postponement
Earlier on Thursday, the Delhi Traffic Police wrote to the DDCA asking it to consider rescheduling or postponing the September 13 match to a date after the BRICS Summit and related traffic arrangements were completed.In its September 9 letter to the DDCA secretary, the DCP Traffic (Central Range) said a large number of foreign delegates, dignitaries and VVIPs would be in Delhi for the summit, requiring extensive arrangements for VVIP/VIP route regulation, traffic diversions, route clearance and deployment of personnel.The police said the cricket match would further complicate arrangements because of the expected spectator turnout and the existing traffic pressure around the stadium, PTI reported.
Why the stadium became a traffic concern
Areas around Arun Jaitley Stadium, DDU Marg, BSZ Marg, Minto Road, Kamla Market and adjoining roads already witness substantial vehicular and pedestrian movement, the traffic police said.Additional match-related traffic and parking around BSZ Marg, Mata Sundari College, Rajghat and Bal Bhawan could reduce available carriageway and cause congestion, according to the letter.The police also pointed to the pressure on manpower, with the entire Delhi Traffic Police expected to be deployed extensively for BRICS-related traffic regulation, diversions, route clearance and VVIP/VIP movements.“Simultaneous arrangements for the cricket match would place considerable pressure on available manpower and pose significant challenges in traffic diversion, parking, crowd regulation, emergency access and route clearance,” the letter said.
DDCA says match stays on
Despite the concerns, the DDCA has decided to proceed with the match as scheduled after the delegation met with traffic police.The traffic police had requested an early consideration of its proposal, saying postponing the game would help facilitate the movement of foreign delegates, VVIPs and the general public and allow better deployment of resources during the summit.The DDCA’s response means the capital will now have to manage two major operations simultaneously on September 13: the movement of foreign delegations linked to the BRICS Summit and thousands of cricket spectators heading to the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Three-match series in Delhi
Afghanistan will ‘host’ India for the three-match T20I series in Delhi, with the games scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17.The first match will therefore coincide with the final day of the BRICS Summit, when traffic and security arrangements for visiting dignitaries are still expected to be in place.The traffic police’s request to reschedule the match had raised the possibility of a clash between the two events, but the DDCA’s Thursday announcement has now ruled out any postponement of the opening T20I.(With agency inputs)
