GOA: TIME OUT 72 LAUNCHES MAIDEN EDM IN GOA

Vagator (Goa): Goa lost two mega electronic dance music (EDM) festivals last year after the organisers decided to back out owing to payment differences with the government. The much touted Sunburn and Supersonic EDMs, held at Vagator and Candolim respectively shifted to Pune last December after government demanded to make the pending dues to Goa Police and Commercial Taxes department. The events,for the second year is not being held in Goa.

But the party lovers will not have to starve for entertaining nights as three-day-and-night EDM Time Out 72 begins today. The EDM at Little Vagator–Opposite Hill Top spread across a total 2,25,000 sqmtrs is expected to draw around 30,000 locals and tourists daily.

The Time Out’s Ahmedabad organisers claim that total occupancy of the ground is 1 lakh and total crowd expected is 30,000 per day. As per the security plan, total 672 security personnel are deployed each day for the festival day and total security manpower present is 77 supervisors, 232 guards, 314 bouncers, 49 lady guards, 10 Quick Response Team (QRT) teams of 3 Bouncers and one Supervisor each, Disaster Management Team of 12 people,Event Safety (MVSEC) and Anti Drug Squads.

“The security deployed is both from Mumbai and local security agency to reduce pilferage & illegal activities by security personnel. Additional manpower of security will be deployed near stage, vip platforms, sponsors stalls, backstage, bar, food stalls, first aid, toilets / smoking zones, entry/ exit aisles,” the organisers said.

Watch towers are also installed at strategic locations including entry and exit points to monitor internal and external activities with a supervisor amd walkie talkie for quick communication. Similarly, the main entry gates to each ground have 3 checkpoints: RFID band checking; to hold crowd and form queue for DFMD and frisking (HHMD). All checkpoints have separate aisles for women.

“Sniffer dogs at main aisles will be present for identifying illegal substances. Each zone of the venue is under strong CCTV surveillance and multiple CCTV control rooms are setup around venue. One supervisor is constantly sitting in the control rooms monitoring all activity and through walkie communication-alerts in problematic areas. Police officers are also encouraged to sit in CCTV control room and help in maintaining closer watch. Total number of CCTV’s in all grounds-is approximately 200 cameras,” said a security team member of Time Out adding, “Multiple watch towers per ground are built at strategic locations around the venue. these watch towers are at 16 feet high and are located at the periphery of the venue. one supervisor with a walkie is present in each watch tower-throughout the duration of show.’

It is informed that there are 102 Door Frame Metal Detectors, Hand Held Metal Detector and 12 Sniffer Dogs.

In case of medical emergencies, four first aid rooms with 20 ICU beds and 40 normal beds are set up wherein seven doctors, six nurses, 12 parademics, 15 medical student volunteers, 14 stretcher and wheelchair boys and one snake catcher will be present.

Police sources said they have maintained strict vigil in and around the venue to ensure no person indulges in smoking and/or drugs, while another team will be spread across to keep law and order. The legal drinking age bands being given out to visitors to avoid underage drinking.

Team TNV