With just four days to go for the Games, the Indian Air Force has put in place a tight security cover against aerial threats. The Army, for its part, has deployed specialised teams to conduct night surveillance of all the venues, besides activating its anti-nuclear, chemical and biological contamination units.
On Monday, the Air Force activated a comprehensive air defence network over the city, covering a 60-km radius from India Gate, involving the deployment of mobile surface-to-air missile units, radars, anti-aircraft guns as well as armed choppers to take on aerial threats. Fighter aircraft, including SU 30 MKIs and MiG 21 Bisons, have also been kept ready at nearby air bases.
The Army has deployed specialised teams to deal with chemical, nuclear and biological threats and put a long-distance night surveillance network in place at all venues. An extensive network of L70 air defence guns that can be used to neutralise low flying targets has also been installed. In addition to this, bomb disposal teams and sniffer dogs have been kept ready.
"We have taken all contingencies into consideration, including aircraft hijacking, low-speed aerial threats, balloons and microlights," an official said.
Sources said armed choppers, including Mi 35 attack helicopters, will be airborne during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. Two searcher Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will also be put into action during both the ceremonies.
Specially-trained sniper units of the Delhi Police will be deployed at mobile observation posts to deal with sub-conventional threats such as aero-models and balloons. A network of Pechora, OSA AK and Igla surface-to-air missiles will be put in place by the Air Force while L70 anti-aircraft guns will be kept ready for use by the Army. Mi 17 and Mi 35 armed helicopters will patrol the skies, and smaller Cheetah/Chetak choppers will be deployed for emergency transport and casualty evacuation contingencies.
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