In what would be called a monumental moment in Indian sports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of a new international cricket stadium in Varanasi. Making the moment extra special, Indian cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar were present alongside PM Modi. On the occasion, Tendulkar even gifted an Indian cricket team shirt to PM Modi, with ‘NAMO’ written at the back. The video of the occasion was shared on social media, with cherishing the big moment.
“PM Modi is laying the foundation stone for International Cricket Stadium Varanasi by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Uttar Pradesh for the first time. I welcome PM Modi on behalf of every sports enthusiast in the state,” says UP CM Adityanath on the occasion.
“In Varanasi, a stadium is under construction with the help of the Smart City Mission of the Central Government. This is the third International stadium of Uttar Pradesh and the first to be constructed under the supervision of BCCI. It will provide a platform to the cricket enthusiasts of east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. I would like to thank BCCI and PM Modi for giving this gift to UP,” he added.
#WATCH | Sachin Tendulkar with PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath at the event to mark the foundation stone laying of an international cricket stadium in Varanasi, UP pic.twitter.com/TjgIHNrelD
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2023
As for the stadium, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is said to have 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.
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.
With ANI inputs
