Twenty-two months of non-stop construction involving at least 2,500 labourers, a budget that saw several revisions thanks to inflationary pressures, countless deadline failures and numerous controversies later, the refurbished Wankhede Stadium is ready to host big-ticket cricket.
Barring three yards of the outfield, which is still devoid of grass, a few clearances from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the lengthening shadows of the West Stand that are likely to ‘darken’ the pitch, the swanky 33,000-seater venue, which is scheduled to host the World Cup final (April 2) besides two other fixtures (March 13 & 18), looks fit and fine.
International Cricket Council (ICC) president Sharad Pawar, who also heads the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), on Sunday threw open the stadium to journalists for a media tour. “This stadium was often criticised as the facilities weren’t up to the mark. We have spent Rs275 crore to renovate and redevelop it. I can proudly say that it’s a world-class venue,” the seasoned politician told mediapersons at a state-of-the-art banquet hall on the ground floor of the stadium.
A concrete jungle; the worst stadium in India; a crucible of sweaty crowds — the Wankhede has had to live with these ugly tags over the years. MCA officials believe that all those labels are a thing of the past.
The installation of bucket seats may have reduced the capacity by around 5,000, but that’s a non-issue when one looks at the larger picture. Each ticket-holding spectator will have a bucket seat to himself besides a 360-degree view thanks to the absence of those gigantic, view-blocking pillars. “This is an architectural marvel. It’s one of the best you’ll ever see,” said architect Shashi Prabhu, who, incidentally, was at the helm of affairs when the stadium was first built in a record time of 11 months way back in 1973-94.
The media box, replete with Wi-Fi and other facilities, can seat 194 journalists and is located next to the North Stand. It may be recalled that the media box and dressing room were on the same side (South Stand) earlier, due to which the venue couldn’t host Champions Trophy in 2006. As per the ICC regulations, the dressing room and media box have to located opposite each other.
The construction of the West Stand seems to be a touch faulty. As a result, the shadows couldn’t hamper proceedings in a day game and even during Test matches in future.
Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, who also happens to be an MCA vice-president, declared that the pitch is the best in India. “I’m not saying it’s one of the best. I’m saying it is the best. There is cross ventilation. It will be interesting to see how bowlers reverse swing in these conditions,” he said.
Meanwhile, fire department officials claim that the stadium has implemented the recommended changes. “The fire compliance report will be issued to the renovated stadium in the next visit from the officials,” confirmed a senior civic official. The department had, during an inspection held on February 16, stated that the newly-built basement in the North Stand had no ventilation points.
“We are awaiting an approval for the basement. Based on the suggestions, the water sprinklers and a duct to suck out the smoke has been stationed,” said tournament director Ratnakar Shetty.
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