Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 18 : Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday ended months of uncertainty, giving the green flag for international and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches to be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, subject to certain conditions.
G Parameshwara said the government has given permission, subject to conditions, and made it clear that matches can be held only after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) fulfils all major conditions.
"We had formed a Justin Cunha committee and asked it to inspect the (M Chinnaswamy Stadium). They had given many recommendations. Accordingly, we had formed a discussion committee in the cabinet. We had sent Cunha's recommendation to the KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association) and asked it to fix it. We had formed a Maheshwar Rao committee to study its status. They had given a report. The new KSCA committee had said that they would fulfil the conditions. We discussed in the cabinet and said what to do in the long term and the short term. IPL will be in March. In the meantime, the short-term conditions should be fulfilled. We have given permission subject to conditions. We will see if they fulfil another major condition. They have given in writing that they will fulfil the conditions. We had put our trust in them. The work has already started. They have cleared all the gates," Home Minister G. Parameshwara told the reporters.
The development comes after cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was suspended since June last year after 11 people died and several were injured in a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL title celebration.
The KSCA, under the new president, Venkatesh Prasad, had been working to get Chinnaswamy ready for play again. KSCA's primary challenge is to ensure all the new safety precautions are in place within the next few weeks. The IPL is set to begin on March 26, with RCB playing the opening game as defending champions.
In an official release, Vinay Mruthyunjaya, Official Spokesperson of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, said, "We are pleased to inform you that the Home Department, Government of Karnataka, has granted permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host international and IPL matches at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru."
Recently, in a formal communication to the KSCA, RCB proposed installing 300 to 350 AI-enabled cameras at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The advanced surveillance technology will empower the KSCA and law enforcement agencies to efficiently manage crowd movement, ensure disciplined queueing, monitor unauthorised access through real-time tracking of entries and exits, and significantly enhance overall fan safety.
The solution leverages advanced analysis of video, audio and text data to accelerate investigations and enable faster, more accurate decision-making. Its real-time AI video analytics capability enables early detection of incidents such as violence, unauthorised access and intrusion, facilitating swift and effective law-enforcement response.
RCB has further committed to bearing the entire one-time cost of this initiative, estimated at approximately Rs 4.5 crore, the release stated. The integration of this advanced technology will elevate crowd management standards and reinforce a safe, secure and seamless matchday experience for all fans.