(by Francesca Romana Riello). Starting today, Wednesday, January 29, it is possible to request passes for access to the so-called Yellow Zone, the pre-screening area for controlled access that will be set up for the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies in the Arena, via the Verona City Council website.
In less than a month, Verona will be in the global spotlight. On Sunday, February 22, the Arena will host the closing ceremony of the XXV Olympic Winter Games, while on Friday, March 6, it will host the opening ceremony of the XIV Paralympic Games. These two international events have required a complex and unprecedented security plan for the city.
Yellow Zone and controlled access
For the days of the ceremonies only, the Committee for Security and Public Order has established an external protection area, called the Yellow Zone, with regulated access and preventive controls. Within this zone, there will be a total ban on vehicle traffic on the days of the events. Pedestrian access will be allowed only to people with a special personal pass, which is non-transferable.
There will also be a three-day parking ban on the streets affected by the measure, with vehicles towed away. According to Palazzo Barbieri, this measure has been designed to minimize disruption while ensuring adequate security standards for events of global significance.
“We are talking about a highly complex management operation,” notes the Councillor for Major Events and Security, highlighting that the organization involves several municipal departments.
“A sort of containment belt, outlined by the Security Committee, around the area directly affected by the ceremonies.”
The numbers help illustrate the scale of the work: 367 residents, 85 accommodation facilities of all kinds with a total of 542 beds, and 260 commercial activities, businesses, and offices. Not to mention the residents, for whom no precise estimate is available. These figures alone give an idea of the scale of the operation.
To manage this audience, the Municipality has set up a dedicated IT platform with two separate modules: one for accommodation facilities and one for all other categories. This organizational choice is designed to allow hoteliers and B&B managers a longer time frame for entering guest data.
Passes can be requested by residents and their guests, domiciled persons, owners and workers of commercial and professional activities, as well as guests of establishments in the area. Applications submitted by Sunday, February 8, will allow passes to be collected from February 13; those submitted by Monday, March 2, will allow collection from March 3. For accommodation facilities that upload requests between February 9 and 19, passes are expected to be delivered from February 20.
Traffic measures and timings
On the days of the ceremonies, the Yellow Zone will be active from 9 a.m. on February 22 to 1 a.m. on February 23 and from 9 a.m. on March 6 to 1 a.m. on March 7. During these times, unauthorized vehicles and pedestrians will be prohibited from entering the zone.
“The watchwords for everyone are to stay informed and be prepared,” emphasizes local police commander Luigi Altamura. “A complex organizational machine has been set in motion, which is costly for the municipality and subject to the control of the Prefecture and Police Headquarters. It affects not only the lives of residents, but also the activities in the area and, in fact, a significant part of the city.”
All passes can be collected from the Urp offices in Via Adigetto 10. The municipality invites citizens and businesses concerned to carefully consult the institutional website and social media channels, where FAQs will also be published and updated as new requirements emerge as the events approach.
