Diljit Dosanjh's Delhi gig gets police nod amid fresh threats

With security concerns arising, the Delhi Police initially refused to grant permission for Diljit Dosanjh's upcoming concert

NEW DELHI: A day after denying permission over "specific threat-related inputs" and security concerns, Delhi Police Friday cleared Diljit Dosanjh's concert, scheduled to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Oct 30.The nod came on a day when several Delhi schools received emails threatening that the singer's show would be targeted. A threat was received in Mumbai too, where he will perform on Nov 27.Police sources said the clearance was granted after organisers agreed to beef up arrangements for crowd management, deploy additional staff and coordinate with cops to ensure smooth conduct of the event.Cops advise organisers to coordinate with cab aggregatorsThe organisers have been asked to increase their staff by about 1,500 personnel to assist with various arrangements at the venue, including crowd regulation and the management of entry and exit points.

Police have also stressed the need for better coordination between the organisers and security personnel to prevent congestion and ensure attendees can enter and leave the stadium with-out inconvenience.Sources said the organisers have been directed to inform concertgoers in advance about parking facilities, traffic arrangements and designated drop-off and pick-up points. They have also been asked to encourage attendees to use the metro to reduce the number of private vehicles travelling to the venue.

Police have also advised the organisers to coordinate with cab aggregators to stream-line pick-up and drop-off arrangements and prevent traffic congestion around the stadium. They have also been asked to tie up with navigation platforms to keep attendees informed about designated routes and traffic diversions.In a statement, BookMyShow said reports suggesting that Dosanjh’s concert in Delhi had been cancelled were inaccurate.

“Permission for the event had been temporarily withheld, not cancelled, pending additional safety, traffic and crowd-management measures requested by Delhi Police in view of the festive season. BookMyShow Live has since held a cordial and constructive meeting with Delhi Police and presented a detailed plan addressing the required arrangements. We have assured the authorities of full compliance with all applicable security, traffic and crowd-management requirements,” the statement read.