Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 23) inaugurated the international cricket stadium in his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi.
The event saw the presence of former Indian cricket legends such as Sachin Tendulkar and Ravi Shastri, as well as key figures from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), including President Roger Binny, Vice-President Rajiv Shukla, and Secretary Jay Shah.
During the inauguration ceremony, PM Modi said, “This stadium in the city of ‘Mahadev’ will be dedicated to ‘Mahadev’ himself. The sportspersons here will benefit from the construction of an international stadium in Kashi. This stadium will become the star of Purvanchal region.”
International Cricket Stadium Varanasi construction expenses
This will be the third international cricket stadium in Uttar Pradesh after Kanpur and Lucknow. The Uttar Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has allocated Rs 121 crores for land acquisition for the construction of the state-of-the-art International Cricket Stadium in Varanasi.
Additionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to invest Rs 330 crores in the stadium’s development.
Varanasi stadium’s unique architecture
The Varanasi International Cricket Stadium spans 30 acres. The stadium’s architecture takes inspiration from Lord Shiva, featuring distinctive elements such as crescent-shaped roof covers, trident-shaped floodlights, ghat-style seating, and Bilvipatra-shaped metallic sheets on the facade.
Upon completion, the stadium will boast a seating capacity of 30,000 spectators. Situated in the Rajatalab vicinity near the Ring Road, the inauguration of the Varanasi Cricket Stadium is anticipated to take place by December 2025.
