Permission denied for cricket match at Chinnaswamy Stadium over safety compliance: K'taka HM

Bengaluru, Dec 24 (PTI) Karnataka Home Minister G Paraemeshwara on Wednesday said that permission has been denied to host matches at the city's Chinnaswamy stadium as the KSCA, which manages it, has failed to comply with the safety and security requirements.

He advised the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to comply with the recommendations of the Justice John Michael Cunha's Commission, and said that following which the request may be considered. He asserted that the government will not take any "hasty decision" on the matter.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh on Tuesday had said that permission has been denied to hold the Vijay Hazare trophy match at the city's Chinnaswamy Stadium on December 24. The KSCA had sought permission to hold the match without allowing spectators for now.

Matches were stopped at the Chinnaswamy stadium after a stampede had occurred outside it during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory celebration on June 4, in which 11 people died. The Justice Cunha commission was constituted to probe the incident.

"After Venkatesh Prasad (former cricketer) led team was elected to administer the KSCA, they met the Chief Minister and deputy CM, seeking permission to host cricket matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The cabinet after discussion authorised me as the Home Minister to take a decision," Parameshwara told reporters here.

Noting that the government had constituted the Justice Cunha commission after the stampede to probe and submit a report, he said, it has made some observations along with recommendations, and it was communicated to KSCA to comply with.

"But, it appears so far they (KSCA) have not complied with anything." Recently when the KSCA administration met seeking permission for matches at the stadium, a meeting was held with senior officials in their presence, the minister said, adding, "I had constituted a committee headed by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) commissioner Maheshwar Rao and consisting of police commissioner and other department officials to visit the stadium and provide feedback." They visited the stadium on Monday.

Stating that the Committee during the visit to the stadium found that none of the recommendations were compiled to by the KSCA, the Home minister said, based on this it was decided that permission cannot be accorded to hold matches at the stadium, and the same has been communicated to the association.

"My advice to them (KSCA) is that the observations and the recommendations made by Justice Cunha commission should be complied with. We can consider their request, if they at least implement the short term recommendations and regulate things at the stadium. Everything will have to happen within the framework of law, or else where is the value for the Justice Cunha commission recommendations, which has been accepted by the cabinet," he said.

The Justice Cunha Commission had reportedly concluded in its report that the "design and structure" of the stadium were "unsuitable and unsafe" for mass gatherings.

Its reported recommendations include adequate gates for mass entry and exit, purpose-built queuing and circulation zones separated from public roads, emergency evacuation plans compliant with international safety norms, and sufficient parking.

Making it clear that no hasty decisions can be taken in this matter, Parameshwara said, KSCA has been advised to comply with the recommendations, following which the requests may be considered.

"Seventeen recommendations have been sent to them (KSCA) and the Police Commissioner has told them the important ones; they have to comply with them," he said.

KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya on Tuesday had said that the Vijay Hazare trophy matches have been shifted to the BCCI Centre of Excellence, on the outskirts of the city, near the Kempegowda International Airport.

In a statement he said that with this proactive approach and full compliance with the recommended measures, KSCA is confident that the necessary permissions for conducting Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium will be granted in the near future. PTI KSU SA