Mullanpur Stadium to be ready by 2020, says Punjab Cricket Association

Punjab now will have another International Stadium by the end of 2020 with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) developing the facility in Mullapur, near Mohali. Punjab already has an International stadium in the form of Mohali’s I S Bandra PCA Stadium built in 1992.

The stadium which has already conducted the World Cup semi-final back in 2011, against the Asian arch-rivals Pakistan has over the years lacked the infrastructural facilities required in the parking department, which has hindered its progress.

In the year 2011, PCAs Executive Committee had had a meeting under the Chairmanship of the then President I S Bindra, after whom the stadium is named. In the meeting, they had decided to build a modern cricket stadium at Mullanpur, on the outskirts of Chandigarh, which will be three times bigger than the current one present at Mohali.

“We had acquired nearly 40 acres of freehold land at Mullanpur in the demarcated sports and leisure area, which is having wide roads and very good connectivity from Chandigarh and even from various places in Punjab.

“The new stadium at Mullanpur, also called New Chandigarh, is going to be ready in next three years or even before that,” PCAs Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier G S Sandhu (retd) told reporters today at the site.

Three grounds for matches and practise

He further added that the new stadium that they have planned would have three grounds for matches and practise. Alongside these, it will also have state-of-the-art cricket academy which would attract a lot of trainees to shift to Punjab, alongside the affiliated ICC members.

Honorary Project Director of the Mullanpur stadium project, B K Bassi said that the total costs for the first phase of the construction, which is coming up in Togan and Tira villages would be around 150 crores.

Unlike the 27,000 capacity Mohali Stadium, the Mullanpur one would have 38,000 capacity. Independent players pavilion will also be present at the venue besides the corporate and media block.

According to Bassi, the Mullanpur stadium will have sub-surface drainage, which the existing PCA stadium lacks, meaning the ground will be dry within 30 minutes of a heavy downpour just like the one at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

“There will be a total of sixteen gates and the new facility will be disabled friendly,” he concluded saying that there would 4-6 floodlight pillars compared the 18 floodlights at Mohali.