The state Home Department gave the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) permission on Saturday to stage IPL and international matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium following months of uncertainty.
After reviewing the report from a task team created by the government, which concluded that the venue’s security improvements were adequate, the Home Department approved the matches.
“We are pleased to inform you that the Home Department, Government of Karnataka, has granted permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association to host international and IPL matches at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru,” a PTI report quoted Vinay Mruthyunjaya, the KSCA spokesperson, as saying.
According to Mruthyunjaya, the association is certain that it would fulfill every need set forth by the government committee.
“The permission is subject to compliance with specific terms and conditions prescribed by the Government and the concerned authorities. KSCA is confident of fulfilling all the stipulated conditions,” he added.
After 11 fans were killed in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations last year, all cricket-related events were suspended at the stadium.
The stampede on June 4, when around three lakh people flocked to the stadium to participate in RCB’s celebrations, was attributed by the investigation that followed to a lack of crowd control measures.
Since last month, the new state association government, led by former India bowler Venkatesh Prasad, has been in negotiations with a number of government organizations to revive cricket.
“The Association has already presented a detailed compliance roadmap before the Expert Review Committee and remains fully committed to implementing all safety, security, and crowd-management measures in letter and spirit,” said Mruthyunjaya.
The development may have also temporarily halted discussions over Royal Challengers Bengaluru moving their home IPL games to Raipur and Pune.
RCB proposed to install 300–350 AI-enabled cameras at the site and offered to cover the projected cost of Rs 4.50 crore in an official communication to KSCA on Friday.
It demonstrated RCB’s eagerness to keep their home games at the Chinnaswamy, even though a final decision in that regard would be made at a KSCA Managing Committee meeting shortly.
