Mumbai turned into a fortress; Navy, Coast Guard to secure coast, anti-aircraft guns, NSG to protect Wankhede
Ships, fast attack crafts, patrol vessels and fast interceptor crafts have been deployed to check terrorists who may try to sneak into Mumbai from the Arabian Sea, the official said.
Marine Commandos who fought Pakistani terrorists in November 2008 have been equipped with helicopters to attend to any eventuality at the sea or on shore.
Security has been tightened on the shore with additional checkpoints at boat landing areas and small jetties.
The Indian Navy has also enhanced surveillance and patrolling in and around the Offshore Development Area.
The World Cup final will take place at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
Anti-aircraft guns will be strategically put in place and teams of the elite National Security Guards will join thousands of security personnel to provide security at the cricket World Cup final on April 2 at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
Though there is no specific threat to the much-awaited game where India will clash with Sri Lanka, the Centre is not taking any chances as President Pratibha Patil and her Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa are set to watch the encounter, sources said.
A sizable number of NSG commandos and around 400 central paramilitary personnel will assist Mumbai Police to ensure foolproof security.
All air bases near Mumbai, Indian Navy and Coast Guard have been put on high alert to ensure security in the air and sea during the Saturday's match which is also expected to be watched by a host of Union ministers, chief minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan and other leaders.
"There is no concern for security. We will ensure that everything goes off well in Mumbai," a home ministry official said.
Cricket World Cup gets Rs.45 crore tax relief
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has landed a Rs.45 crore ($10 million) bonanza with the Indian cabinet Thursday exempting the income earned during the World Cup from tax.
At a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the cabinet approved the finance ministry's proposal to exempt the 2011 World Cup from income tax.
"The financial implication will be nearly Rs.45 crore," the finance ministry said in a statement.
The cabinet had approved a proposal in 2005 to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961, to exempt the income of both residents and non-residents arising from an international sporting event conducted in India.
The Maharashtra government has declared a special public holiday for Mumbai Saturday when India and Sri Lanka play the cricket World Cup final at Wankhede Stadium here.
"A special public holiday has been declared for Mumbai city on April 2 (Saturday) under the Negotiable Instruments Act," an official said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had earlier mulled the idea of declaring it a special public holiday.
The idea was to reduce the tension on the day of the match, Chavan had told reporters.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have stepped up security in the sea off Maharashtra and Gujarat ahead of the India-Sri Lanka World Cup final Saturday, an official said Thursday.
Ships, fast attack crafts, patrol vessels and fast interceptor crafts have been deployed to check terrorists who may try to sneak into Mumbai from the Arabian Sea, the official said.
Marine Commandos who fought Pakistani terrorists in November 2008 have been equipped with helicopters to attend to any eventuality at the sea or on shore. Security has been tightened on the shore with additional checkpoints at boat landing areas and small jetties.
The Indian Navy has also enhanced surveillance and patrolling in and around the Offshore Development Area. The World Cup final will take place at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
Patil, Rajapaksa to watch World Cup final in Mumbai
New Delhi: After the high octane India-Pakistan match in Mohali, the World Cup cricket final in Mumbai on April 2 is also going to be a high-profile event with President Pratibha Patil and her Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa set to watch the encounter.
Patil will be flying to Mumbai for the keenly awaited match after India entered the final by thrashing Pakistan at Mohali on Wednesday, Rashtrapati Bhawan sources said.
The President has been following the game and had watched the India-Pakistan semi-final match.
The Mohali encounter provided the "setting" for a "re-engagement" between India and Pakistan with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani mixing cricket with diplomacy.
Reports from Colombo said that Rajapaksa will fly to Mumbai for the India-Sri Lanka final. "The President wants us (Sri Lanka) to win the World Cup as a tribute to Muttiah Muralitharan who retires from international cricket after this World Cup," Rajapaksa's spokesman Bandula Jayasekera told reporters.
The Sri Lankan President and his three sons were keen spectators on Tuesday night when Sri Lanka beat New Zealand to reach the final to meet India.
Source: PTI & IANS