District Collector C.A. Latha has said that the city is all set to host the National Games, with only finishing touches remaining to be given at the venues, including the Corporation Stadium, the main venue of the event here.
She was addressing a press conference to brief the media about the preparations for the event here on Wednesday.
Ms. Latha said men’s football, one of the three events to be held in the city, would begin as early as 7 a.m. on February 1, though the formal inauguration would be held later in the evening.
Volleyball and beach volleyball are the other events to be held in the city. While the Krishna Menon Indoor Stadium would host volleyball, beach volleyball would be held in a specially barricaded area on the beach. The Corporation Stadium and the recently renovated Medical College grounds would be used for football.
As many as 741 people, including participants and officials, would arrive for the events in the city. Around 350 rooms had been booked for them in various hotels here, she said. “All arrangements have been made for the transportation of the participants and the officials,” Ms. Latha said.
Contingents from different States would be accorded a formal welcome at the railway stations and the airport in the district. “They will be received with a bouquet and a tourist kit by members of the reception committee,” she said.
Various committees, including for food, accommodation, transportation, and publicity, were responsible for the successful conduct of the event, the Collector said. More than 350 specially trained volunteers would help them in their duties. Special arrangements had been made for making food available to the participants and officials in time, besides setting up food courts at all the venues. Security would be taken care of by the police department. The Suchitwa Mission would look after waste management. “The mission has a special green protocol in place to manage the waste scientifically,” Ms. Latha said.
Cultural programmes, including ghazals, dance programmes, and film screenings, would be held at the Tagore Centenary Hall in the city on all eight days of the games. Artistes, including composer Stephan Devassy, singer Umbayi, and danseuse Lisy Muraleedharan, would perform on different days. Soorya Krishnamurthy would stage special shows.