Madhya Pradesh to Build International Cricket Stadium

Madhya Pradesh to Build International Cricket Stadium

Posted: Feb 19, 2025, 04:39 IST

International Cricket Stadium in MP: Efforts are underway to build another new International Cricket Stadium in Indore, but the matter is entangled in land acquisition issues.

The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) is requesting 20 acres of land reserved for sports in the Super Corridor, but the Indore Development Authority (IDA) has set a price of ₹200 crore, while the MPCA is only willing to pay ₹70 crore.

The IDA has made it clear that this is non-negotiable, as a tender for a higher amount was previously received.

The MPCA wants to build a large cricket stadium in Indore on the lines of the one in Ahmedabad. The existing Usha Raje Holkar Stadium is too small, resulting in fewer international matches. To address this, the MPCA requested 20 acres of land reserved for sports in the Super Corridor from the IDA. This proposal was also placed before a board meeting and considered.

Meanwhile, a new snag has emerged. The MPCA wants to pay ₹70 crore for the 20 acres, but the IDA is unwilling to accept this offer. The IDA values the land at over ₹200 crore. A tender was previously issued, which received only one bid from the companies of builders Pintū Chhābrā and Rājesh Mehtā. This bid was subsequently rejected.

Search for Private Land

The MPCA has begun exploring alternative options. It is looking for private land within 15 km of the city and connected to major roads to ensure easy access for people. The aim is to avoid any disputes regarding the construction and use of the stadium. The argument is that land from the IDA would be on a 30-year lease, whereas purchasing private land would provide permanent ownership.

The ‘match’ over the stadium (International Cricket Stadium) is stuck due to the price difference between the IDA and the MPCA. Only the government, acting as a ‘third umpire’, can resolve this, as it did in the cases of TCS and Infosys. Land in the Super Corridor was allocated to both companies through the IT department at a rate of ₹25 lakh per acre. The government could adopt a similar formula, allocating land to the MPCA under specific conditions and providing the IDA with alternative land in return.

Questions will arise if land is given at a lower price

The IDA issued a tender for land for sporting activities, setting a price of ₹200 crore. Now, the IDA faces a dilemma: how to allocate the land to the MPCA at a price ₹130 crore lower. Senior IDA officials are hesitant to take any risks, aware that doing so could lead to investigations by the Lokayukta (anti-corruption agency) and Economic Offences Bureau.

Source: https://www.patrika.com/en/national-news/madhya-pradesh-to-build-international-cricket-stadium-19409205