Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday reviewed preparations for the India–South Africa T20 international match scheduled at Cuttack’s historic Barabati Stadium on December 9, directing officials to ensure foolproof arrangements as “Odisha’s prestige” was at stake.

At a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan, Majhi instructed officials of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the state administration to avoid a repeat of the February incident during the India–England match, when floodlights malfunctioned and halted the match for nearly 30 minutes. The disruption had embarrassed the state government, prompting a demand for a detailed explanation from the OCA.

Recalling the episode — which occurred while chief minister Majhi, deputy chief minister and energy minister K.V. Singh Deo and sports minister Suryabanshi Suraj were in attendance — Majhi stressed that such lapses “must never happen again.” To prevent power failures, additional generator sets will be installed at Barabati, with an automatic backup system ready to maintain uninterrupted electricity.

“Cricket is one of India’s most loved sports and millions across the world will be watching. It is our duty to conduct the event seamlessly and uphold Odisha’s honour,” Majhi said. He directed officials to create a dedicated green corridor for medical emergencies and emphasised “fail-proof safety measures” for spectators and players.

OCA secretary Sanjay Behera briefed the chief minister on preparations related to ticket sales, security, crowd management, parking and fire safety. “We will ensure that spectators enjoy the match without inconvenience,” he said, adding that every stand will host spectators only within capacity limits to prevent overcrowding.

Security across the state has been intensified in light of the recent Delhi car blast, with additional police deployments planned in and around the stadium.