Kolkata Police throw a spanner in CAB's giant screen plans

Kolkata, May 3 (IANS) The Cricket Association of Bengal's (CAB) plans to install giant screens across the city during the top-draw May 5 Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter between Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors have come unstuck with the police declining permission citing possible law and order issues.

"The police informed us today (Thursday) that they would not give permission as the giant screens could lead to law and order problem," CAB treasurer Subir (Bablu) Ganguly told IANS.

With Kolkata's favourite local boy Sourav Ganguly leading the Warriors, match fever has reached a peak.

The match is already sold out, leaving thousands of cricket enthusiasts crestfallen. The craze is such that Indian team's sponsors Sahara India, who also own Pune Warriors, have asked for extra tickets. The sky-rocketing demand for tickets has already forced the police to keep a strong vigil to prevent black marketing.

It was in this backdrop that the CAB had considered installing 12 giant screens so that enthusiasts can watch the action live even when on the move.

The giant screens were to be put up around the venue Eden Gardens and other parts of Kolkata and even in neighbouring districts for fans who missed out on the tickets for what is turning out to be one of most keenly awaited games in IPL history.

However, a day back the CAB had agreed to reduce the number of giant screens, but that also failed to move the law enforcing agencies who have beefed up security by several notches to prevent any untoward incident during and after the highly-charged match.

While normally 4,500 police personnel are deployed for an IPL game, an additional 1,500 security personnel will be out on the roads and the stadium as also the team hotel Saturday.

A large number of celebrities from Bollywood and Kolkata's own Tollywood are likely to descend on the stadium for the game, which has aroused passion like no other game in the history of the tournament.

A celebrity match and an extended night party would follow the Warriors versus Knights match.