The article is divided into three sections, which will follow the points to be kept

before, during and after the marathon.

Legal formalities, permissions and NOC one needs to take for

organising a marathon in India

Now that you have decided to organise a marathon, special permits have to be
taken to execute it. A marathon cannot be organised solely with the details.
Have you checked that the date you have chosen has no other planned event on
that day? The route which you have chosen for the marathon, is there a
permission needed to use this planned route? You may have to speak to the
local authorities or the person who owns the land. Do you want to obtain a
liability insurance for the event? Usually, the medical problems are covered in
the personal insurances. The size of the event you are expecting, have you
checked whether you need police officials to guard the area or request closure
of roads. Moreover, the organisation you are going to raise funds for, have you
taken the permission from them to use their logo and name?

Legal compliance is essential to organise a safe marathon. So, here are the
points that the organiser needs to keep in mind before the actual marathon.

 Decide the day and date of the event. The first thing the organiser
needs to do is to decide the date which is comfortable for every
marathoner. Have atleast two dates in mind, so that you don’t force
the participants to run on one day which may not prove to be
convenient. Go for a poll and decide the date which gets more votes.
Convenience for everyone will ensure more participation. Announce the
date of the event and when the registration will start.
 Plan a route for the marathon. The organiser of the marathon needs
to decide on the route which will be used for the event. Participant’s
safety is the most important aspect of organising a marathon. The
organiser should ensure that the road which is chosen for the
marathon is safe and there is less traffic. Always have an alternative
 route in mind. Also, take a road which has adequate pedestrian lanes.
Make sure that the public is aware of the roads and whether the roads
are undergoing any construction.
 Get the route, time and day approved by the local
authorities. The route and the time and date which has been decided
needs to be approved by the traffic police and the Municipal Authorities
in time.
o Ensure that the permits are taken from the police
department or if using a park, the permission is taken from
the concerned authority. Apply before-hand because granting
of the permits by the authority takes quite a lot of time.
o Follow what the police department says. If the police
department suggests a particular route, you ought to follow
that. Take the permission and make your route accordingly.
 Apart from this, ask for other permissions which you
may need to handle the large amount of public which
may gather on that day.
 Inform them beforehand about any traffic-related
issue so that they can divert the route for that
amount of time.
 Go to the local police station and enquire about the
same. They may ask you to fill a form. Since a
marathon may cover multiple areas, contacting the
regional police may help.
o Also, make sure that the route you have chosen for the
marathon is in close proximity to the general public if you
want to have crowds watching your marathon. It will be a
good idea to have spectator access to your marathon.
 Provide the details of the safety numbers to the
participants. So, incase of any emergency the participants are aware
of the number they need to call. Also, have arrangements for
ambulance ready. Talking to the city hospital will help in providing an
ambulance. Keep first aids at regular halts.
 o Insurance – There are many companies which
offer insurance for one-time event or walk or run. Consult
your own legal expert to determine which type of insurance
policy will suit you the best.
 Talk to the Municipality about the space required to accommodate
the runners at the finishing and the starting point and also the different
places dotted on the marathon route.
 Have a word with the organisation you are supporting and raising
the funds for. Inform them about the marathon and that their logo and
name will be used in the entire event. Do proper paperwork in time so
that no issues are raised during or after the marathon.

Contact your local council for more information as every city has their own set
of rules. The issues discussed above only help in a broader manner, how you
address them will depend on the local laws. So, either drop an email or have a
meeting with the authority before organizing a huge event as it will keep you
free from all the hassles. Furthermore, get all the agreements in writing.

One may also have to submit an application with the route decided and seek a
permission from the administration. Remember to take permission from the
local police. Once you get a green signal, they will themselves take care of the
marathon and you will have a smooth marathon.