Permission denied for match at Chinnaswamy Stadium over safety compliance: K’taka HM

BENGALURU, Dec 24: Karnataka Home Minister G Paraemeshwara on Wednesday said that permission has been denied to host matches at the city’s Chinnaswamy stadium as the KSCA, which manages it, has failed to comply with the safety and security requirements.
He advised the KSCA to comply with the recommendations of the Justice John Michael Cunha’s Commission, and said that following which the request may be considered. He asserted that the government will not take any “hasty decision” on the matter.Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh on Tuesday had said that permission has been denied to hold the Vijay Hazare trophy match at the stadium on December 24. The KSCA had sought permission to hold the match without allowing spectators for now.Matches were stopped at the Chinnaswamy stadium after a stampede had occurred outside it during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL victory celebration on June 4, in which 11 people died. The Justice Cunha commission was constituted to probe the incident.“After Venkatesh Prasad (former cricketer) led team was elected to administer the KSCA, they met the Chief Minister and deputy CM, seeking permission to host cricket matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The cabinet after discussion authorised me as the Home Minister to take a decision,” Parameshwara told reporters here.Noting that the government had constituted the Justice Cunha commission after the stampede to probe and submit a report, he said, it has made some observations along with recommendations, and it was communicated to KSCA to comply with.“But, it appears so far they (KSCA) have not complied with anything.”Recently when the KSCA administration met seeking permission for matches at the stadium, a meeting was held with senior officials in their presence, the minister said, adding, “I had constituted a committee headed by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) commissioner Maheshwar Rao and consisting of police commissioner and other department officials to visit the stadium and provide feedback.”They visited the stadium on Monday.Stating that the Committee during the visit to the stadium found that none of the recommendations were compiled to by the KSCA, the Home minister said, based on this it was decided that permission cannot be accorded to hold matches at the stadium, and the same has been communicated to the association. (PTI)