Bengaluru, February 13 Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Friday that the government has given "in-principle approval" for IPL matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, a decision on allowing celebrations at the venue in the future will be taken separately, he added.
He made it clear that the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), which manages the stadium, must comply with the safety and security requirements recommended by the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission before the matches.
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to grant conditional approval for IPL matches at the stadium.
Matches were stopped at the Chinnaswamy Stadium after a stampede occurred outside the venue during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebrations on June 4 last year, in which 11 people died.
The Justice Cunha Commission was constituted to probe the incident.
"We have said that we will give them (KSCA) in-principle approval. They were informed earlier that they must comply with the recommendations made by the Justice Cunha Commission. There are three components—immediate measures, short-term measures to be implemented ahead of matches, and long-term infrastructure upgrades, which will take time," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said clear instructions had been issued to the KSCA regarding the measures to be taken before matches.
"I have also constituted a committee in this regard, headed by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Commissioner Maheshwara Rao and comprising Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh and officials from the fire, health and PWD departments, among others. They will oversee and ensure that IPL matches are conducted smoothly," he said.
"We will also deploy the required personnel from the police department—four times more," he added.
Stating that the measures suggested to the KSCA are in line with the Justice Cunha Commission’s recommendations, the home minister said, "We are not doing anything new."
Safety is of "utmost importance", and instructions are being issued accordingly, he said.
He added that no incidents had occurred at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the past 50 years during matches. "This (stampede) happened during celebrations. We will decide whether to allow celebrations at the stadium in the future," he said.
In December, based on the report of the GBA chief-led committee, the government denied permission to host a Vijay Hazare Trophy match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, as the KSCA had failed to comply with the safety and security requirements recommended by the Justice Cunha Commission.
The commission, constituted to investigate the June 4 stampede, reportedly concluded that the "design and structure" of the stadium were "unsuitable and unsafe" for mass gatherings, officials said.
The commission recommended adequate gates for mass entry and exit, purpose-built queuing and circulation zones separated from public roads, emergency evacuation plans compliant with international safety norms, and sufficient parking facilities, among other measures.
