COMMONWEALTH GAMES BATON TO BE LAUNCHED ON OCT 29

COMMONWEALTH BATON TO PASS THROUGH FROM ATTARI-WAGAH BORDER

Queen Elizabeth will launch the Commonwealth Games Baton at the Buckingham Palace in the presence of the Indian President Pratibha Patil on October 29. The first baton holder will be India's top sharpshooter Abhinav Bindra who won India's only gold medal in the last Olympics.

In what will be the longest baton relay for the Commonwealth Games, the baton will enter India on June 25 from India-Pakistan border at Attari. The baton will travel to various states in India and will finally arive at the venue on October 1 next year, after travelling 20,000 km in India and 170,000 before reaching India.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES SECURITY PLAN OCT 20

NEW DELHI SAFE - POLICE COMMISSIONER

The Police Commissioner of Delhi Y S Dadwal announced the security plan for the games including that of traffic movement from October 3 through to October 14.  It entails the following:

1. Airforce choppers circling overhead above Stadia and Games village.

2. Sharpshooters with latest weapons lining the routes to be taken by players and all VIPs and the venues. The shooters will be placed at places of vantage like rooftops.

3. Access control through CPR cameras.

4. Non-clonable I-cards for all security personnnel.

5. Lanes for Commonwealth Games vehicles on major roads.

6. CCTVs will feed the central command centre set up for the Commonwealth Games at the Police HQ.

Security checks will be a 4-layered check in the areas in the vicinity of the venues. First level will be an outer zone restricted entry check at the parking areas. The second will be for valid ticket holders and authrized personnel . The third level will consist of futher checking and a check of barcoded tickets with photos.  The last and final check will be at point which will be 30 metres form the venue where each person will be thoroughly checked with metal detectors and x-ray tools.