Modi to lay foundation stone of cricket stadium in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday lay the foundation stone of an international cricket stadium in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi, an official statement said.

The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has spent Rs 121 crore on acquiring the land for the stadium while the Board of Control for Cricket in India will spend Rs 330 crore on its construction, it said.

According to the statement issued by the state government in Varanasi, cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Ravi Shastri among others are likely to attend the ceremony.

The "essence of Kashi" will be visible in the design of the stadium which features crescent-shaped roof covers, floodlights shaped like a trident, patterns resembling bel leaves, and one of the structures shaped like a 'damru', a musical instrument associated with Lord Shiva.

'There will be a spectator gallery resembling the steps of the ghats in Varanasi and the stadium will have a capacity of 30,000 spectators and seven pitches. Situated near the Ring Road in Rajatalab area, it is likely to be ready by December 2025’, it said.

Key figures of the BCCI, including President Roger Binny, Vice President Rajiv Shukla, and Secretary Jay Shah will attend the event.

After Kanpur and Lucknow, this will be Uttar Pradesh's third international cricket stadium.