Following the incident, the Judge Michael D’Cunha Commission identified serious deficiencies in the stadium’s design, crowd flow and emergency preparedness, which led authorities to prevent the venue from hosting major international tournaments. With a newly elected KSCA government inaugurated, led by President Venkatesh Prasad, efforts are now underway to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy.
KSCA has submitted a formal request to the government, with Prasad personally addressing Prime Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Prime Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara. However, the state cabinet has left the final call to the Ministry of Interior, stating that public safety will take priority over sporting considerations.
To assess the stadium’s suitability to host matches, the Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted a high-level multi-departmental committee headed by the Greater Bengaluru Authority Commissioner along with the Bengaluru Police Commissioner. Officials from the PWD, fire and emergency services, health ministry and BESCOM are part of the panel, which is tasked with inspecting entry points, emergency exits, medical facilities, power supply and crowd control mechanisms.
The committee’s findings will form the basis for the final decision of the Ministry of the Interior. Importantly, the government has made it clear that all seventeen security conditions established by the city police based on the recommendations of the D’Cunha Commission must be fully respected. These include wider entry and exit gates, separate ticketing and queuing areas, real-time spectator tracking systems, enhanced fire safety measures and improved evacuation routes.
Virat Kohli is playing in Bengaluru during Vijay Hazare Trophy
KSCA has accepted the tight timelines ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and indicated that matches, if approved, will take place without spectators. The association has also held rituals at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Meanwhile, conditional approval has already been granted to host IPL matches in 2026, subject to verification of all safety upgrades. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar has stated that IPL games will not be moved out of Bengaluru. He calls it a matter of pride and at the same time assures that the safety of the spectators is not compromised.
Notably, KSCA is also exploring shifting select Vijay Hazare matches from Alur to Chinnaswamy due to security concerns. With Delhi set to play several matches in Bengaluru and Virat Kohli confirming his availability, the association is keen to organize matches involving the former Indian captain in Chinnaswamy ahead of large gatherings outside venues where there are no spectator facilities.
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