Mumbai to get new 100,000-seater stadium to rival Ahmedabad; Maharashtra CM announces

Mumbai has three test cricket venues – Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, and Gymkhana Ground.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared that his government will allocate land for a stadium that could accommodate one lakh spectators, something that is appropriate for a large metropolis like Mumbai. This was announced at the inauguration event of Rohit Sharma, Ajit Wadekar, and Sharad Pawar at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Fadnavis expressed gratitude to the cricket players and their families for helping to establish Wankhede as the nation’s cricketing holy grail. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the MCA governing body for making it happen.

“Last year, Kale (late MCA president Amol Kale) and Ajinkya Naik (current MCA president) had come to me with a request that the MCA needed to build one more stadium of a minimum 100,000-crowd capacity. And now today, I’m assuring Ajinkya that if you come with a proposal, then the Maharashtra government will give you an appropriate, good piece of land for the MCA to build its own big stadium, which can seat 100,000 spectators. Maharashtra and Mumbai are states of passionate cricket lovers. Everyone knows about Mumbai’s contribution to (world) cricket,” said CM Fadnavis, quoted by ANI.

In four years, when the MCA would be commemorating its centennial, Fadnavis also anticipated that a stadium of a similar kind could be built.

“After four years, the MCA will be completing its 100 years. So by then, we should have our new stadium ready. And whatever the MCA needs to do in order to build that (stadium), we will provide that,” Fadnavis added.

Mumbai has two international-quality stadiums in Wankhede Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium, along with the DY Patil Cricket Stadium in Navi Mumbai, which has hosted IPL matches. There is also the Gymkhana ground that hosted India’s first-ever international match.

Thane district potential venue of the new big MCA cricket stadium: MCA president Ajinkya Naik 

According to MCA President Ajinkya Naik, the venue will be situated in Thane district’s Amme area. Other places are not excluded, though.

“He very much wants to do it (build a new stadium). He’s a person with a progressive, positive mindset. He also wants the MCA to have a stadium with a capacity of a minimum of 100,000 fans. And we have already applied for a place in Amne in Thane district. There’s a chance that we may get a place somewhere else, too. But the place in Amne is in our mind. Whatever the state government will allot us, we would love to have a big new stadium,” said Naik to the Times of India.

The Wankhede Stadium is marking its 50th anniversary this year after being constructed in 1975. The stadium was renovated and built again from scratch ahead of the 2011 World Cup.

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