Shivamogga’s KSCA Navule Stadium was flooded following nonstop rain

The last few days have seen a lot of rain at the Navule grounds of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The stadium is flooded due to the unceasing rains, and the unfinished drainage works is to blame for this concerning situation.

Paradoxically, the stadium was constructed on top of a historical tank that had been there for a while. The young cricket players’ ability to practise is being hampered by the flooded state of the pitch. Rainwater from surrounding areas enters the stadium’s grounds and then trickles down to the Navule tank.

The land remained flooded for three days in a row because the silt blocked the tank’s discharge. The stadium floods whenever it rains a lot. As some may recall, the stadium experienced flooding in August 2019 as a result of intense rains in the Shivamogga area. The flooding is attributed to the project’s completion delay, which is intended to redirect water flow to the sewers.

In 2002, the KSCA was given 26 acres of city property for a stadium for the association’s Shivamogga zone. In a few years, the stadium would be ready to host games when building started in 2007. Of the total property allotted to the KSCA, five acres were seized for the construction of a nearby road and a tank.

There are around 45 non-affiliated clubs, four institutional associate member clubs, and 45 institutional member clubs in the Shivamogga zone, which is comprised of the districts of Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan.

According to H.S. Sadananada, the KSCA convener for the Shivamogga zone, the stadium hosts a minimum of 400 cricket matches annually.

We play club matches for the under-14, under-16, and under-19 divisions. The cricket stadium benefits cricketers from three districts, according to Sadananada.

Prakhar Chaturvedi, a young Karnataka player, made history at this identical venue earlier this year in January during the Cooch Behar Trophy final.

He surpassed Yuvraj Singh’s 24-year-old record of having the highest tournament individual score (358). Against Mumbai, the young players scored an undefeated 404 in 638 balls. In the drawn final, Karnataka took the lead in the first innings and went on to win the title. In order to continue practicing, aspiring cricket players in the area would like the ground to clear up as quickly as possible.