Varanasi set to receive international stadium after BCCI approves site for multi-crore project

The state of Uttar Pradesh is all set to receive its third international stadium after a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) team led by vice-president Rajiv Shukla, and secretary Jay Shah visited the Ganjari Area in Varanasi to assess the project for the new stadium. According to reports, the site has received the green light from the team, and the project will be underway in the upcoming days after the BCCI completes the remaining formalities.

The BCCI team visited the proposed site in Ganjari on Wednesday, March 15, accompanied by secretary Jay Shah and vice-president Rajiv Shukla, who inspected the site and also held a meeting with the office-bearers of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA). According to reports, the project is going to cost the apex cricketing body around Rs. 300 crores, while the state government has already released a fund of Rs 120 crore to compensate the farmers for 31 acres of land.

"Shukla and Shah, in presence of UPCA office-bearers including Yudhvir Singh and Uday Sinha inspected the site where 31 acres of land has already been purchased from the farmers with a fund of Rs 120 crore released by the UP government. The BCCI and UPCA authorities were satisfied with the site. The land in Ganjari area will be given to the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on a 30-year lease by the UP government.

The lease period can be extended up to 90 years. The BCCI will fund this project for the construction of the stadium at the cost of Rs 300 crore. For the proposed stadium with 30,000 seating capacity, the BCCI will select a project management consultant and contractor for the construction work who have expertise in this field through tender process," divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

While the BCCI officials were satisfied with the site for the state-of-the-art stadium, the board is still looking to hire a company to execute the project as they seek to begin the construction within the next three months. It is worth noting that the state is already blessed with two international stadiums, the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow and Green Park in Kanpur, but this will be the first international stadium in the Purvanchal region.

"This process may take up to two months to be completed. Therefore, the BCCI and UPCA officials decided to hold the foundation laying ceremony of the proposed stadium after completion of the process so that work on the project is started immediately after the ceremony is over," he added. 

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