While the Olympic Holy Flame Protection Unit comprising members of Beijing’s Special Police Force will form the immediate ring around the torch, crack commandos of the National Security Guards (NSG) will provide a second cover, official sources said. Personnel from central paramilitary forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will form the outer cordon along with Delhi Police personnel , who will be responsible for maintaining law and order on and around the torch relay route.

A Chinese request for a greater role in the Olympic torch security has, however, been politely turned down by India, with officials pointing out that Indian security agencies would take all required steps to protect the flame. Chinese security personnel, incidentally came under severe criticism for the manner in which they handled protestors in London and Paris, with some even describing them as “thugs”.

The Chinese team is also expected to hold talks with officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today. IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and secretary general Randhir Singh, who were in Beijing to attend the meetings of the Association of National Olympic Committees, are returning to Delhi on Thursday night.

The torch run will commence from the main gate of Rashtrapati Bhawan and end less than three kilometres, at India Gate. The route will have the level of security usually put in place for the Republic Day parade, with barricades on either side to keep potential protestors at bay, an official said.

The organisers and security agencies are also working on the final number of schoolchildren who will be participating in the run. Sachin Tendulkar, Aamir Khan and Milkha Singh are among those who will carry the torch along the route.

Today’s discussions were however learnt to have been preliminary in nature. An advance security team is scheduled to arrive here a few days before the event.