Punjab to have new, world-class cricket stadium near Mohali by 2020

Chandigarh: Punjab will have another world-class cricket stadium by 2020 with the state cricket Association (PCA) developing the facility in Mullanpur, near Mohali. [caption id=“attachment_3447086” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Getty[/caption] Punjab already has a cricket facility in Mohali’s IS Bindra PCA Stadium, built in 1992, but over the years, lack of proper parking facilities have emerged as major constraint as the existing facility is located in the middle of a residential colony. In 2011, PCA’s executive committee had met under the chairmanship of its then President Bindra and decided to build a modern cricket stadium at Mullanpur, on the outskirts of Chandigarh, which will be three times bigger than the existing one. “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,” PCA’s chief executive officer, Brigadier GS Sandhu (retd) told reporters on Monday at the site. The new stadium would have three grounds — for matches and practice — and also a state-of-the-art cricket academy which would attract trainees from associate and affiliated members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), said PCA’s chief operating officer, Deepak Sharma. At the site of the new stadium, which will be built in two phases, work is going on in full swing and the boundary wall has come up. The total cost for building the first phase of the stadium, which is coming up in Togan and Tira villages, is approximately Rs 150 crore, honorary project director of the Mullanpur stadium project, BK Bassi said, adding after the completion of the first phase the matches can be hosted. As against Mohali stadium’s seating capacity of nearly 27,000, the Mullanpur facility can accommodate 38,000 spectators, Bassi said. There will be an independent players pavilion, which will be located on the first floor. Besides, a corporate pavilion will also be set up, media block will come up in the north pavilion and there will be two general stands, Sharma said. 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. Sharma said the stadium will have rain water harvesting and solar panels making it environmentally friendly. “There will be a total of 16 gates and the new facility will be disabled friendly,” he said. The stadium will have its own sewerage treatment plant. As against 18 flood lights installed in the Mohali stadium due to height restrictions, the Mullanpur facility will have four-six flood light pillars.