Kochi to soon get its first exclusive cricket stadium as Jay Shah visits a potential site for construction

Kochi’s long-awaited dream of having an exclusive cricket stadium of international standards is expected to soon turn into a reality as Indian Cricket Board secretary Jay Shah visited a potential site for the project at Chengamanad in Ernakulam on Thursday.

Shah, who is in Kochi for the Indian T20 League auction on Friday, visited the plot of land spread across 30 acres along the national highway, a few kilometres from Kochi international airport. According to sources, Shah expressed satisfaction over the land, identified and facilitated by Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) through its land-pooling scheme, and Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), which will construct the stadium, is likely to approach the government for further steps.

"Jay Shah visited the land and he liked it as the area is well-connected via the national highway and it is close to the airport. But there are some hurdles. Within the proposed area there are portions of paddy fields and wetlands. For construction permission, the government has to exempt the land. Also, the area was affected by the 2018 floods, so a detailed study needs to be done. Moreover, due to proximity with the airport, other restrictions related to building's height, flood lights etc need to be checked," KCA president Jayesh George told TOI.

Shah, who reached Kochi airport around 12.30 pm, visited the site with George, before heading to the hotel where the Indian T20 League auction will be held on Wednesday. George said that a new international cricket stadium, with all modern facilities, in Kochi has been a long-envisaged project of KCA and they have been in pursuit of suitable land of around 30 acres. GCDA, which has identified more than 100 acres of land in Chengamanad through its land-pooling for integrated urban development suggested to KCA to consider the land for the stadium.

Other Land options also being explored

George revealed that KCA is also looking at other land options.

“Though the land we saw is ideal we are also exploring other options. KCA will soon issue an advertisement regarding land acquisition for the project. It is confirmed that a new stadium will be constructed in Kochi and we only have to finalise the land," George said.

It is also learnt that the stadium and the allied sports complex could be part of the GCDA's proposed multi-crore Economic City, a project that aims at developing townships in the city suburbs along a new 100-km-long ring road.

"The Economic City project will have multiple nodes focusing on various sectors like film, sports etc. The sports node can be centred on the proposed stadium project in Chengamanad if KCA finalises the land," said a GCDA official.