New Delhi [India], October 14 (ANI): Several safety arrangements have been put in place for a record-breaking 41,000-plus participants at the Delhi Half Marathon 2026 across on-ground and virtual categories ahead of race day on Jattvibeday, October 18.Procam International, promoters of the World Athletics Gold Label Road Race Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, outlined the arrangements.Those present at the occasion included Dr Sameer Gupta, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Group Head – Cardiac Cath Labs and Director, Metro Group of Hospitals, and Co-Medical Director, VDHM 2026; Dr Sonia Lal Gupta, Senior Neurologist, Joint Managing Director, Metro Group of Hospitals, and Co-Medical Director, VDHM 2026; and Vivek Singh, Joint Managing Director, Procam International.RACE-DAY ARRANGEMENTSRunners are the Delhi Half Marathon’s biggest stakeholders, and Procam International eyes a seamless, safe and comfortable race experience for every participant. Comprehensive safety and support measures will be in place along the route and at the finish line to safeguard runners’ well-being. Key preparations include:*CHANGES IN HALF MARATHON AND OPEN 10K ROUTESAs race day approaches, planning, infrastructure assessments and coordination with the relevant authorities continue across all aspects of the event. The focus remains on ensuring a safe, well-coordinated and seamless experience for runners and stakeholders.As part of the final preparations, minor refinements are being made to the Half Marathon route. The Open 10K is also scheduled to start from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 7:35 am, with a revised route, instead of starting from Sansad Marg.Vivek Singh, Joint Managing Director, Procam International, said as per a press release, “The Delhi Half Marathon has grown into an event with a significant impact beyond sport. A socio-economic impact study conducted by Miranda House estimated the event’s socio-economic impact on Delhi-NCR at over Rs 400 crore. Participants travel from across the country, often arriving several days before race day and staying with family or friends. Their presence contributes to local businesses, hospitality and retail, demonstrating how a sporting event can create value for the wider community.”“Delhi Police is fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of every runner at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2026. We have been working closely with the organisers over the past one-and-a-half months to prepare for race day. Our deployment will include around 200 police personnel, along with 70–80 traffic police personnel, to ensure smooth movement and security along the route. We will be present at every stage to support the organisers and ensure a safe and successful race,” said Madhurendra Kumar, Traffic Inspector, Defence Colony, Delhi Police.*FACILITIES ON-COURSE & IN-STADIABisleriBisleri, the event’s Hydration Partner and India’s most trusted packaged drinking water, will set up 12 water stations, 9 re-hydration stations and 3 mist zones across the route.On Route Stations:- 5 Water Stations- 7 Hydration Stations- 2 Origin Stations- 2 Orange and Salt Stations- 2 Chikki Stations- 3 Mist Zones- 8 Cheering ZonesRun Club volunteers will be present to support and facilitate on-route stations.*Red BullA Red Bull station will be positioned along the route, providing runners with an energetic boost and adding to the excitement and atmosphere on race day.*Motivation ZonesA total of 12 motivation zones will be set up along the course, featuring engaging experiences led by sponsors, the Navy Band, Delhi Drummers Circle, and Youth for Seva groups to energise and motivate participants throughout the race.Inside Venue:- 2 water stations in holding areas for 21K & 10K- 2 water stations in the post-finish and post-refreshment areaMedical Facilities by Medical Partner – Metro Group of Hospitals- 11 medical stations on route- 1 medical base camp with ICU setup post finish- 2 Stations in holding area & one post refreshment- 25 medical spotters- 9 medics on bike- 450 medical staffA total of 12 ACLS ambulances and 3 golf carts will be deployed to handle medical emergencies.“With 41,000 runners taking part, their safety is our top priority. For the fifth consecutive year, our medical personnel have put in place extensive arrangements, with 450 medical personnel deployed across the course. We thank all our partners and medical teams for working together to ensure that every runner has a safe race experience,” said Dr. Sameer Gupta, Sr Interventional Cardiologist, Group Head – Cardiac Cath Labs, Director-Metro Group of Hospitals & Co-Medical Director-VDHM 2026.*100% Waste-Managed RaceThe Delhi Half Marathon is eyeing to delivering a sustainable and 100% waste-managed race. The event has received the Bronze-level recognition from World Athletics, in recognition of its commitment to sustainability and responsible event management.- Zero Waste to Landfill through responsible waste management.- Source segregation with separate bins for wet, dry, PET and Tetra Pak waste.- Fast-track last-mile waste disposal across the venue and race route.- 100-plus NDMC sanitation workers supporting waste collection and segregation.- Collaboration with NDMC, Hasiru Dala Innovations and Chintan for sustainable waste management.- Digital entry forms and e-handbooks to reduce paper consumption.- Bibs distributed without plastic covers.- Paper bags used for event kitting.- PET bottles and packaging materials collected and sent for recycling.- Food waste composted at an authorised organic waste facility.- Sewage waste treated at an authorised sewage treatment plant.- Leftover water collected and reused for watering nearby trees.- Participants encouraged to use public transport, the Metro and bicycles to reduce travel emissions.- Electric vehicles used for crew mobility and event operations.- Used shoe collection drive to support communities in need.- Surplus food donated to underprivileged communities.- Event branding materials upcycled into useful products such as shelters and floor mats.- Sustainability awareness and runners’ etiquette promoted among participants.- Sustainability data on waste, water, carbon and social impact documented and reported in alignment with the World Athletics sustainability framework.Dr. Ankita Rai, Chief Medical Officer, Public Health, New Delhi Municipal Council, said, “The Delhi Half Marathon is not just a race; it is a movement for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable Delhi. NDMC has been associated with the event since its inception, working alongside Procam International to ensure responsible waste management before, during and after race day. From composting organic waste and recycling plastic to reusing leftover water for watering plants, our efforts extend well beyond the event itself. The Bronze-level recognition from World Athletics for sustainability is an important milestone, and we are proud to contribute to an event that places environmental responsibility at the heart of its operations.”*RUN CLUBS EXTEND THEIR SUPPORT- 21 run clubs will be actively involved in managing the 5 water stations by Hydration Partner, Bisleri; 7 hydration stations, 2 origin Stations; 2 orange & salt Stations; 2 chikki stations; 1 cool sponge station, 3 mist zone stations (1 Procam & 2 Bisleri); 2 water spraying stations and 8 Cheering Zones.- 850 volunteers to motivate runners and assist every participant.- Run Clubs – Run & Rally, Super Sikh Running, Running Roadies, BRG, Athlete Adda, Delhi Peddlers, Striders, DRG, Indirapuram Runners, Aruns Pathshala, Fit & Fast, Rewari Runners Fleet, Rysors Run Club, Lucky Run Club, North Kolkata Runners, Cyruns, GRG, Bhag Run Club, The Run Tribe, Piku sports, Run with Reeti.*Special Metro & ShuttleRun Green, Ride Free with Delhi Metro: As part of the race-day experience, all registered participants of the Delhi Half Marathon will enjoy complimentary travel on the Delhi Metro on October 18, 2026. To ensure a smooth and hassle-free journey, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will commence Metro services earlier than usual, enabling runners to reach the venue comfortably and well in time for the race.- The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will commence early train services at 3:30 am on Jattvibeday, 18 October 2026, on Lines 1 (Red Line), 2 (Yellow Line), 3/4 (Blue Line) and 6 (Violet Line), covering the key catchment areas for the event. Trains will operate at 15-minute intervals until 4:15 am, followed by 20-minute intervals until the commencement of regular services as per the scheduled timetable.- E-rickshaws will be available from Jor Bagh Metro Station to the drop-off point to facilitate participants’ commute to JLN Stadium.Parking facilities are available exclusively for Half Marathon participants, who can collect parking stickers for personal cars or motorcycles from the PLAYSCAPE VDHM Expo on a first-come, first-served basis.Mohinder Yadav, General Manager – Corporate Communications, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), said: “Delhi Metro is committed to ensuring a smooth and convenient travel experience for participants of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2026. To facilitate their commute on race day, we will commence services at 3:30 am on four key lines – Red, Yellow, Blue and Violet – operating at 15-minute intervals until 4:15 am, followed by 20-minute intervals until 6:00 am. Additional manpower will also be deployed at key stations, with support from the Vedanta team, to help participants reach the venue comfortably and on time. These arrangements reflect our commitment to supporting a seamless race-day experience while helping ease road congestion around the venue.”RACE TIMINGS| Half Marathon – Elite Men | 5:18 am || Half Marathon – Elite Women | 5:20 am || Half Marathon & Police cup | 5:30 am || Champions with Disability & Senior Citizens’ Run | 6:30 am || Open 10K Run | 7:35 am || Corporate Run | 9:00 am || Great Delhi Run | 9:05 am |*All the races will start and finish at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.*The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon Expo is scheduled to take place from Thursday, 15 October, to Saturday, 17 October, with race day on Jattvibeday, 18 October 2026.LIVE TELECASTRace Day proceedings will be live on youtube.com/@ProcamInternational from 5:00 am onwards. The world feed will also be streamed live on the official World Athletics YouTube channel – youtube.com/@WorldAthletics. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)