IPL 2018: Three stands at Chepauk to remain empty this season as well

In a very disappointing news for the cricket fans, the three stands at the MA Chidambaram Stadium are set to remain empty during the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The venue, popularly known as the Chepauk, will witness empty seats despite the craze of IPL being at unmatched levels in the city. The Chennai Super Kings are making a comeback to the IPL roster after a gap of two years.

They were suspended for a couple of seasons and that was a major heartbreak for the CSK fans. Now that the team is back in the competition, the legal tussle between the authorities is set to keep the fans deprived of a full house at the Chepauk. The three stands which will continue to remain empty during the season are the I, J, and the K stands. It is worth noting that these stands have been empty for quite some time now.

The sight of empty yellow seats at the venue is not a new one. The primary concerns why the seats will not be filled are the legal tussles between the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and the state government. The court has ordered to create a setback space between the MCC and the K stand at the venue. And in order to do that, as many as 12 metres of the gym at the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) will have to be demolished to create eight meters of setback space between the MCC and the ‘K’ stand.

Also, some of the parts of the MCC have been declared as heritage structures by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). This has made it tough to pull down any portion of the club. Lastly, there is also the fact that legal clearances have to be made for the land lease at Chepauk.

Disappointment for the fans

The real disappointment is for the fans here. The fans had flocked the stadiums during the practice sessions of the Chennai Super Kings. They were thrilled to see the helicopter shots of MS Dhoni and the hard hits of Suresh Raina. Also, the tickets for the matches were sold out in no time. It would have only been better for the game had these three stands been left open for the IPL 2018 season.

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