Special drop-off point, entrance for judges at IPL venue

A special drop-off point, separate entry and no security check — such were the privileges for judges at the Maharaja Yadavindra International Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Cricket Stadium.

Meanwhile, cricket fans kept standing in long queues to gain entry into the facility. The Gate 3 entrance was exclusively designated for the judges. The area, which had enough space to park a couple of vehicles, had no frisking points or metal detectors, unlike the other gates.

The only stop was at the entrance gate for C2 (Corporate Box 10, meant for top judicial officials) to scan their tickets. The signage, “Judges Drop Off”, was fairly visible from a distance as soon as one descended from the last flyover leading to the stadium.

This is not the first time such arrangements have been made by the organisers, especially during the IPL matches. “We cannot comment on this. We are just here to guard the gate,” said a policeman. “This has been a tradition for a long time now. Whenever an IPL match was played at IS Bindra PCA Stadium, the same thing happened. Yes, there were no special entry gates, but a corporate box was reserved for the judicial officers. Today, the provision has been highlighted prominently,” said a former cricketer, who was there to watch the match.

Political leaders, doctors, top administrative and police officers also enjoyed some kind of privileges at the venue. “You just can’t leave the media behind. Though they were here to do their job, they, too, had a special entrance in the parking area,” said a spectator.

Another spectator said, “This is normal to witness such scenes. Had we been given VIP passes, we could have also enjoyed the match in the same manner,” said Pratham, a student.