The incident took place during the fifth T20I between India and New Zealand on January 31, the final match of the series and the first men’s international match at the venue in more than two years. As fans flocked to the stadium in large numbers, several videos and posts on social media surfaced showing spectators being charged prices well above the rates approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The issue quickly gained attention online, prompting the Kerala Cricket Association to launch an official investigation.
In a press release, the Kerala Cricket Association confirmed that it had received several complaints about excessive water prices at certain stalls in the stadium. As per BCCI guidelines and agreements with the official beverage sponsor, the price of 200 ml of packaged drinking water has been fixed at INR 10, while the price of 250 ml of energy drinks or juices has been capped at INR 50.
KCA guarantees that appropriate action will be taken
KCA stated that vendors had been clearly instructed to display the approved rates at all kiosks, maintain sufficient inventory based on the expected crowd size, and strictly follow the eco-friendly ‘Green Protocol’ mandatory for international competitions. However, reports suggested that these guidelines were being broken in certain locations, with spectators being charged significantly higher amounts.
The KCA took the matter seriously and formally informed the BCCI about the alleged shortcomings. The board has since assured that appropriate action will be taken after reviewing the complaints. The association also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to fans and assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the role of the contracted agency.
KCA stated that any deviation from approved protocols is unacceptable and undermines the spectator experience. The association confirmed that stricter preventive measures would be imposed during future matches at the venue to ensure compliance with prize standards. Notably, there have been similar complaints previously at other Indian venues, including the MCA Stadium in Pune.
Get every cricket update! Follow us:
#IND #Kerala #Cricket #Association #addresses #water #price #complaints #Thiruvananthapuram #T20I