The government’s decision to implement the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission’s recommendations, which found that the stadium’s structure and design are dangerous and unfit for large gatherings, may prevent Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium from hosting events with large crowds.
The Commission was established to look into the terrible stampede outside the stadium on June 4 that claimed 11 lives. The incident happened during the victory parade celebrations after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on the road around the site.
The absence of specially designed areas for queuing and circulation that are isolated from public roads, the lack of gates for large-scale entry and exit, the poor integration with public transportation and tourist attractions, and the lack of emergency evacuation plans that adhere to international safety standards are just a few of the serious flaws that the report pointed out. Enough parking spaces and drop-off locations to accommodate large crowds.
The Deccan Herald cited the Commission’s statement that “any future venue should adhere to international standards.”
“Holding high-attentive events at the current location poses unacceptable risks to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness until such infrastructural changes are made,” the panel stated in its report.
The existing structure makes it difficult for cars and pedestrians to manoeuvre during busy events.
The 32,000-seat venue was constructed in 1974 and is owned and operated by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The Public Works Department (PWD), which owns the 16 acres and 32 guntas of land that make up the stadium, leased the area to the KSCA for 99 years starting in July 1969. Adjacent to the venue was a National Cricket Academy facility.
“The stadium’s layout and construction were unsafe and inappropriate for large crowds [sic].” Every entrance and exit gate opened straight onto the walkway. Due to the lack of a large, well-organised crowd holding area at the entrance, the audience was compelled to queue on the sidewalk or road, which obstructed traffic and put pedestrians and cars in danger. Additionally, the lack of adequate security allowed criminals to join the crowd, increasing the risk, the report stated.
The panel has suggested taking action against the following individuals: police officers B Dayananda, Vikash Kumar Vikash, Shekhar H Tekkannavar, C Balakrishna, and A K Girish; KSCA president Raghuram Bhat; former secretary A Shanlar; former treasurer E S Jairam; RCB vice-president Rajesh Menon; DNA Entertainment Networks MD T Venkat Vardhan and VP Sunil Mathur. The proposals will probably be decided by the administration during the upcoming Cabinet meeting.
The Maharaja Trophy will be hosted by Chinnaswamy.
The Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 for the 2025 edition of the state-based 20-over competition is now scheduled to take place at the historic location. Bengaluru will host all 34 of the league’s games, and it appears that there have been no complaints about the tournament’s use of the Chinnaswamy for game hosting. The competition is scheduled to start on August 11 and end on August 28.
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