NEW DELHI, Mar 16: In a major relief for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans in the coming Indian Premier League (IPL), the Karnataka government on Monday officially cleared the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for hosting IPL 2026 matches.
The Government decision followed the assessment report filed by the multi-department expert committee which stated that the stadium has undergone satisfactory upgrades. Now, with all decks cleared, the Chinnaswamy Stadium will witness its first major match after ten months of lull on March 28. The home team RCB will start their title-defending campaign with the inaugural match against Sunrisers’ Hyderabad at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
However, before the inauguration, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) will conduct two mock drills on March 23 and 26 to ensure all security measures are in place, according to committee sources. The drills will mainly focus on ambulance movement.
With the upgradation of the stadium, all entry points have been changed, with stricter protocols put in place to ensure smooth and systematic movement of the crowd into the stadium. The venue now has wider passages, an extra layer of gates, and an increased number of gates, according to committee members.
Fans will have to enter the first layer of gates, clear door frame metal detectors, and assemble in large holding areas. Subsequently, security checks and ticket verification will be conducted as fans pass through another layer of gates before finally entering the stands.
However, some of these measures are temporary solutions deployed for the IPL, and the KSCA will undertake further upgrades after the tournament ends. According to committee sources, the KSCA has submitted an extensive blueprint on the measures it will implement to conform to the suggestions listed in the Justice Michael D’Cunha report.
“Based on Justice Cunha’s report, the committee drew up immediate measures that needed to be implemented to host matches. Now, the KSCA has satisfactorily completed all the required upgrades,” committee sources said. The formal clearance ends months of uncertainty over the future of cricket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the iconic venue which was barred from hosting matches after the RCB victory celebrations on June 4, last year resulted in a stampede killing 11 people.
The change of guard at the KSCA with former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad being elected president started the process of bringing back cricket to the Stadium. The state cabinet gave a conditional nod and set up a committee naming Home Minister G. Parameshwara as the chairperson. The Home Department also set up a multi-department committee headed by M. Maheshwar Rao to oversee and assess the upgradation works.
The Home Department placed the responsibility for the final nod on the committee, which was asked to assess the upgrade works and submit a report. The Committee held a mock drill on March 13 and said the stadium was fit to host matches. Following this, the government has now given its final approval.
In a press statement, the KSCA extended its gratitude to the Karnataka government, the Home Department, and the expert committee. “KSCA looks forward to extending full cooperation and support to RCB in hosting the upcoming IPL matches in a safe, well-coordinated, and professionally managed manner, ensuring a memorable experience for cricket lovers and the sporting community,” the statement said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
