KMC to join hands with cops to ensure smooth U-17 football world cup

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will join hands with the state Information and Cultural Affairs department (I&CA), the Kolkata Police and the Bidhannagar City Police to ensure a hassle-free experience of the guests who will be in the city to watch the U-17 football world cup matches at Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan popularly known as the Salt Lake stadium in the month of October.

The coordination committee that was formed for this purpose held its first meeting at the KMC headquarters on S N Banerjee Road that was presided over by member Mayor-in-Council (Sports) Debasish Kumar. Top officials from state I&CA, Kolkata Police's traffic department, Bidhannagar Commissionerate and the civic body's Parks & Squares department were present.

"Our main intention is to ensure that cleanliness of the city is at its best during the U-17 world Cup. There will be a good number of foreign guests who will be visiting the city at that time. We want

them to go back to their countries with a good impression of the cleanliness of Kolkata," Kumar said.

It was decided that the vicinities around various tourist spots in the city should be kept clean and the roads

that have developed potholes due to monsoon should be spruced up.

As far parking of vehicles are concerned, the Kolkata Police along with its counterparts in the Bidhannagar Commissionerate will make arrangements for parking of at least 1,600 vehicles at locations not too far away from the stadium."

Parking places will be created close to the Subhas Sarovar Lake, Narkeldanga Main Road, Beleghata, Chingrighata area including places in and around the stadium in Salt Lake," a top official of the Kolkata Police's traffic department said.

The stadium is being refurbished ahead of the World Cup by the state Public Works Department (PWD). As many as 52 matches will be played across six Indian cities from October 6 to 28 with Yuva Bharati hosting as many as 10 matches including the final match.

The state government will distribute 5,000 tickets among school and college students to watch the Under-17 World Cup matches.