DDCA Spending Rs 20-25 Crore To Get Feroz Shah Kotla ODI World Cup Ready
The Arun Jaitley Stadium, also known as Feroz Shah Kotla, will host five matches of the 2023 ODI World Cup in October-November.
New Delhi: The Feroz Shah Kotla cricket ground will undergo a major renovation, worth Rs 20 to 25 crore, for the five matches it will host during the ODI World Cup 2023 in October-November.
The venue, which hosted the second Test between India and Australia earlier this year, had drawn criticism for failing to ensure basic hygiene in the stadium, especially in the toilets.
In April, it was revealed that Delhi was one of five venues in the country in need of a major overhaul, following a Gap assessment by the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI). A gap assessment outlines the existing gaps between an organization’s current and ideal future state.
The others were Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Mohali, which did not appear in the 10 chosen World Cup venues on Tuesday. The game’s popularity in India has skyrocketed over the past 10 years, with the BCCI making billions in broadcast rights. However, the fans are often neglected as most stadiums in India lack basic facilities.
Delhi and District Cricket Association co-secretary Rajan Manchanda said their focus would be on making the fan experience enjoyable during the World Cup. “We thank the BCCI for awarding five games. We need to improve the infrastructure of the stadium to make it a pleasant experience for the fans and will focus on that in the run-up to the mega event.
“We have planned a substantial upgrade to the facilities, which will include changing spectator seats, renovated washrooms, paintwork and change to our ticketing software,” Manchanda told PTI.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium has a capacity of around 35,000 seats and Manchanda informed that DDCA will replace around 10,000 seats, in addition to replacing the 15-year-old turnstiles to enter the venue.
“We need to provide our fans with clean toilets and hygienic food and water at a reasonable price. The strength of the domestic staff will also be increased. We plan to complete all work by September 15,” Manchanda added.
He also said that the BCCI and International Cricket Council teams will conduct a reconnaissance of the site in the third week of July, which will also include the field and outfield. Although the weather in October-November is not rough, the fans will have to sit in the sun because a major design flaw does not allow DDCA to cover the open stands with a roof.
To give the site a roof, the existing structure must be demolished and built from scratch. Delhi will host its opening game with South Africa and a qualifier on October 7. It will host its biggest match on October 11 when India takes on Afghanistan. Afghanistan will also face mighty England here on October 14.
The other two league games will be played on October 25 and November 6.