Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Cricket Association is set to upgrade the facilities at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (RGICS), secretary M. Jeevan Reddy told a press conference on Wednesday.
The HCA secretary said the State got a boost at the recent BCCI Annual General Meeting which he attended at the national cricket body’s headquarters in Mumbai.
“A lot of things were discussed as a part of the AGM, one of them was improvement of infrastructure. For now, we have revamped the entire electrical system. The drainage system also has to be improved. The external appearance of the stadium needs to be done-up too. Dealing with fencing blocking the view of fans, improving parking facilities and providing a possible walkway from the Stadium Metro station to the RGICS are also on the agenda,” Mr Reddy said.
Asked about providing overhead cover to the spectators right around the stadium, the HCA chief was non-committal.
“We will also be hosting the India vs West Indies T20 on October 14, tickets for which will go on sale from October 6. It’s been two years since Hyderabad has hosted an international match and we are working towards showcasing our organisational expertise and provide a world class experience to spectators to ensure the City will be allotted more games in the future. The HCA will also provide about 2,000 tickets free of cost to students from government high schools,” Mr Reddy said.
When pointed out that the Police drive away spectators from the stadium as soon as the match is over, not allowing those who want to witness the presentation ceremony, Mr Reddy said “we will address this issue, discuss with police officials and ensure that every willing spectator is there till the end of the presentation ceremony.”
Mr Reddy also sounded upbeat about the new cricket stadium that will come up at Future City, as announced by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy earlier. Asked about the time frame, he replied: “It could take us around three years to turn it into a reality once the groundbreaking happens.”
Answering a query about HCA polls that are due this month, Mr Reddy said: “We are discussing it… most probably the elections should happen sometime in November.”
As for development in the districts, “we have acquired grounds and basic infrastructure in Mahbubnagar and Karimnagar, where cricket academies are scheduled to come up soon.”
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