BELAGAVI: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said that the State Government has permitted IPL matches in Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium to protect the city’s reputation.
The Karnataka cabinet that met in Belagavi on Thursday decided to accord permission for IPL matches in the stadium subject to compliance with the Justice D’Cunha Inquiry Commission, standard operating procedures and other safety measures.
“To avoid any future incidents, we have put in place precautionary measures. We have granted permission accordingly,” Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said.
He added that recommendations of the D’Cunha Committee must be respected and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara has been tasked with overseeing safety protocols. “The Home Minister will hold discussions with Karnataka State Cricket Association president Venkatesh Prasad and police officials,” Shivakumar said.
All the matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium have been suspended since June 4, after a stampede during the victory celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru left 11 people dead.
The D’Cunha Commission had reportedly concluded that the ‘design and structure’ of the ground were ‘unsuitable and unsafe’ for mass gatherings.
The panel had recommended measures such as adequate gates for mass entry and exit, purpose-built queuing and circulation zones separated from public roads, emergency evacuation plans compliant with international safety norms, and sufficient parking among others.