Inspection panel to assess Chinnaswamy Stadium for Vijay Hazare Trophy

The newly formed Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administration, headed by former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, has approached the State government seeking permission to host Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, raising hopes among cricket fans.

However, the State government has taken a cautious approach, deciding to consider the conduct of matches without spectators after a joint inspection by multiple departments.

If the inspection report gives the green signal, the stadium will host the match between Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be played on December 24. Notably, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has announced a star-studded team featuring Virat Kohli, captained by Rishabh Pant.

According to the order accessed by The Hindu, the committee comprises the GBA Chief Commissioner, the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, the Commissioner of the Health Department, the Additional Director General of Police (Fire Services), the Managing Director of the BWSSB, and the Chief Engineer of the PWD (South).

The committee will examine whether the KSCA has complied with the 17 conditions laid down by the Bengaluru Police Commissioner to permit the matches, according to the order. These conditions were based on the report submitted by the Justice Michael Cunha Commission, which flagged shortcomings in the stadium’s preparedness to host matches. The State government had tasked Justice Cunha with identifying these issues following the stampede near the stadium on June 4 during RCB victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives.

A well-placed source in the Home Department told The Hindu that it would be impossible for the newly formed administration to comply with all the conditions immediately. However, the KSCA has expressed its commitment to address the gaps and adhere to the guidelines.

“For conducting matches with spectators, all 17 guidelines must be complied with. But as the KSCA has sought permission to conduct a match without an audience, the committee will examine whether the major conditions ensuring safety of players have been met and submit a report,” the source said.

The officer added that since the match involves star players, there is a likelihood of people gathering around the stadium, making it essential to ensure that all safety protocols are strictly followed. The decision will be taken on Tuesday (December 23) by the Home Department based on the findings of the special committee.

KSCA response

“The meeting with the committee today went well. We have stated that we will conduct the matches without spectators, if permission is granted. The tournament starts on Wednesday, so there is a paucity of time when it comes to arranging the logistics to accommodate spectators. We have only a day, so it is tough to set up ticket sales processes and so on. We are awaiting the final order from the committee,” KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya told The Hindu on Monday.

Mr. Mruthyunjaya added that the new KSCA managing committee, which took office earlier this month, will implement all safety recommendations at the earliest. “We will definitely act on all recommendations,” Mr. Mruthyunjaya added.