DECKED UP: Preparations under way at the Sports Complex in Gachibowli for the Congress plenary session in January. — Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Will the enthusiasm of the State Government in holding the AICC plenary session at the magnificent GMC Balayogi Stadium next month render the Rs.3 crore worth synthetic 400-metre track useless after the show is over? This is the question doing the rounds in sporting circles.

For, the track will be used as one of the main passages for the dignitaries who represent virtually the who's who of Indian politics, if the arrangements now on are any indication.

However, officials assert that enough care is being taken to ensure that every bit of the venue remains intact. In fact, it is reminded that no digging of any sort is resorted to at the venue keeping in mind the sentiments of the sports fraternity.

Safety measures

What exactly are the safety measures being taken? Officials point out that the entire track was first covered with a carpet and then a six-inch cover of wooden plank was spread all over to ensure that nothing was damaged. But, what worries the sports authorities is the fact that the support system for setting up the stretch of `arcade' is laid within the edges of the track.

"The load of the planks itself might damage the track," says K. Ranga Rao, secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Amateur Athletic Association, after a visit to the spot. "They could have spread the width of the arcade and used the sand stretch on either side of the track for the purpose, instead of laying the passage on the track itself," he suggested.

And again, there are genuine doubts expressed on how the huge turnout which is likely to gather, will conduct itself on the given day. However, senior officials made it clear that the adjacent world-class indoor stadium, the swimming complex and the floodlit hockey complex will be sealed off completely during the show.

Security cover

Right now, a security cover has been thrown all over and only those connected to the event managers and the 100-odd labour force at work are being given entry by the security cordon. The other interesting revelation is that the electricity bill will alone be some Rs 95 lakhs by way of lighting up the entire complex.

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