IPL 2019: JMC yet to issue ‘Fire NOC’ to RCA for the first Rajasthan Royals match at SMS stadium
The first match of IPL 2019 between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab is to be played on Monday but JMC has still not issued Fire NOC to RCA.
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Jaipur: The dispute between Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) and Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) over Fire NOC (No Objection Certificate) for the upcoming IPL matches at SMS stadium in Jaipur is still going on. The reason behind the dispute is the absence of a proper centralized firefighting system on the grounds, said officials.
The first match of IPL 2019 between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab is to be played on Monday but JMC has still not issued Fire NOC to RCA.
According to the officials, the preparations for the first match at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Stadium have been completed. However the issue of Fire NOC has not been settled yet.
According to JMC officials, the department will not issue the NOC until and unless there is a proper centralized firefighting system at the stadium. Several flaws regarding safety measures have been detected at the stadium due to which the municipality is not issuing the certificate.
RCA has to correct all the flaws and to ensure that there are proper fire protection measures in place. A ‘fire watch tower’ should be set up for fire safety, fire marshals should be installed at the firefighting zones and proper pathways should be made for the emergencies, added officials.
The number of people coming to the stadium for matches can go up to over 50,000. Proper security measures should be put in place so that iIn case of any emergency, the JMC is able to deploy necessary measures without any hiccups, said officials.
According to the sources, RCA officials wrote a letter to JMC asking for two fire tenders for the match but the JMC officials declined. They said that only after ensuring all the safety and security measures at the stadium, the department will address the request.
A total of seven IPL 2019 matches will be played at SMS Stadium in Jaipur in the T20 league’s 12th edition. The matches will be played between March 25 and April 27.
