Lucknow police gears up for Diljit’s concert

As Diljit Dosanjh’s highly anticipated ‘Dil-Luminati’ tour makes its way to the state capital on November 22, Lucknow police are preparing for a seamless execution of the event, following concerns raised by previous shows in other cities that saw massive traffic snarls and chaos.
After sold-out shows in cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, where large crowds caused significant traffic jams, the Lucknow police are on high alert to manage the expected crowd of 10,000-12,000 fans.
The officials of the organising committee on Sunday confirmed the venue which will be held at Football ground of Ekana stadium, the smaller stadium adjacent to Ekana Cricket Stadium, known as B Field. This is due to complications surrounding permissions for Ekana, primarily because of the cricket pitch and the regulations set by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. “The permission (for the venue) is still pending and will be finalised in the coming days,” confirmed Lucknow’s joint commissioner of police (law and order), Amit Verma.
With the event set to run into the night, the police are putting in place various measures to minimise disruptions. Similar to the traffic management during cricket matches at Ekana Stadium, there will be diversions to ensure smooth flow of traffic. “We will also ensure ample parking space and provide layered security both inside and outside the venue,” Verma confirmed.
Following viral videos of severe traffic congestion during Diljit’s previous concerts, Lucknow’s police are keen to avoid similar issues. They have also expressed concern over the growing problem of black ticket sales. “We will be keeping a close watch on illegal reselling of tickets,” a senior police official stated.
“We are equipped to host such large events as the city’s needs continue to grow,” Verma added. “We are committed to ensuring Lucknow keeps pace with other major cities hosting such high-profile shows.”
Lucknow is one of the 11 cities in India to host the singer after his international tour across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Tickets for the event sold out quickly, with reports of black marketing and inflated prices in other cities