The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium could be stopped from holding major events if the government acts according to the recommendations of the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission report. The report observed that the “design and structure” of the ground were ill-suited for events of such nature.
The commission was constituted in order to conduct an enquiry into the stampede that took place on June 4 in relation to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade. The aforesaid incident, which saw 11 people losing their lives and several sustaining injuries, occurred just outside the Chinnaswamy stadium.
The report mentioned numerous issues with regard to the premises of the stadium and further suggested that any future ‘high attendance’ events should be held at a venue that is well-equipped to handle it. “Any future venue should adhere to international standards,” as quoted by Deccan Herald.
It noted the venue should have the required facilities, including “purpose-built queuing and circulation zones, separated from public roads, adequate gates for mass entry and exit, integrated public transport access points and tourist hubs, emergency evacuation plans compliant with international safety norms, sufficient parking and drop-off infrastructure to handle attendee volumes”.
The report added, “The design and structure of the stadium was unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering [sic]. All the entry and exit gates were directly opening into the footpath. Spacious and organised holding area for crowd were not provided at the entry. As a result, the audience were forced to queue up on the footpath or road (obstructing) and endangering pedestrians and vehicular movement as well as giving scope for miscreants to join the crowd and aggravating the risk, especially in the absence of proper security.”
The stadium constructed in 1974 has a 32,000-seater capacity, and it is managed by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The lay out of the stadium comprises 16 acres and 32 guntas of land. Incidentally, the Public Works Department (PWD) has leased the property to the KSCA for a span of 99 years, with the starting year being 1969.
Meanwhile, the state cabinet has decided to file criminal case against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and event management company DNA Networks. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil also noted that a departmental inquiry will be conducted against the suspended police officers, which include former Bengaluru city police commissioner B. Dayananda.
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