Football fans in Kolkata have once again missed the opportunity to witness East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan SG clash at the legendary Salt Lake Stadium, also called the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan. The much-anticipated derby of the ongoing ISL season, to be played on Saturday, was relocated to the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati after local police informed that adequate security arrangements would not be possible to make.
Thousands of fans in Kolkata, who would have witnessed Indian football's most electrifying clash at the stadium, are relieved the match is still happening, albeit at a different venue, unlike the encounter between the two Kolkata giants in last year’s Durand Cup which was cancelled. This ISL fixture marks the return leg, with Mohun Bagan having defeated East Bengal 2-0 on October 19 last year in the first leg which was hosted by the red-and-gold brigade.
The Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, responsible for security at Salt Lake Stadium, informed the derby's organisers that they cannot ensure adequate security for the match. The Bidhannagar police cited that Ganga Sagar Mela, which is being held South 24 Parganas’ Sagar Island from January 9 to 17, has taken up majority of their forces.
With 60,000 fans filling the Salt Lake Stadium to the brim, around 1,200 security officials are typically required for the derby. The security is made up of not just officers from the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate but also from neighbouring commissionerates and police districts.
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With over 10,000 police personnel deployed for the Ganga Sagar Mela, the South 24 Parganas police district alone could not meet the demand. Consequently, neighbouring police districts and commissionerates, including Bidhannagar police, had to assist, resulting in an insufficient number of security officials for the Kolkata derby.
Mohun Bagan, the host of the derby, initially considered three venues, including Jamshedpur’s JRD Tata Sports Complex and the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Eventually, the management decided to host their arch-rivals in Guwahati, which serves as the home of NorthEast United FC.
Reportedly, the Sanjeev Goenka-owned club opted for Guwahati because of the available broadcast system at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. NorthEast United host Punjab FC in Guwahati on January 10, followed by Goa on January 14. With the TV setup already in place, no extra arrangements are needed for the derby the next day, reducing budget for the organisers.
Both teams are set to reach Guwahati on Friday.
