Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Monday said that a conditional permission has been granted to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to hold Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, first time since the stampede last year.
The decision was taken at a meeting held between the government officials and representatives of RCB and Karnataka cricket association. The minister added that further discussions are required before approval is confirmed.
“The IPL matches are approaching. Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Venkatesh Prasad, RCB representatives and others met me seeking permission. We have given conditional approval, but the matter needs detailed discussion. On Wednesday, we will meet the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner, police commissioner and legal representatives and then take a final call after discussing all pros and cons,” Parameshwara said.
The KSCA president described the discussions as constructive and said RCB representatives were formally introduced to government officials.
“The government has been very supportive and guided us on what needs to be done to ensure matches can be held here,” Prasad said.
He said the home minister expressed support and assured another meeting with a designated committee on February 12 to help finalise the decision.
“Since RCB won the IPL in 2025, the inaugural ceremony has to take place at Chinnaswamy Stadium. For that, we need the government’s permission. The Home Minister has assured us that after the committee meeting, they will make everything convenient for hosting the inaugural ceremony and all RCB home matches,” he said.
Matches at the stadium has been suspended since June last year after a stampede during RCB’s IPL title celebrations that killed 11 people and injured several others.
The state-gorvernment formed Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission earlier described the venue as fundamentally unsafe, citing flaws in design, crowd movement, emergency planning and traffic management. Its findings led to the stadium losing Women’s World Cup fixtures, including the final, and exclusion from India’s list of host venues for the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026.
Permission is tied to compliance with 17 safety conditions set by city police based on the commission’s recommendations. Officials said clearance would follow only after full implementation.
“The guidelines focus largely on crowd control and emergency preparedness. Authorities have directed improvements to entry and exit systems both inside and outside the stadium, citing current practices where ticket distribution and spectator queues spill onto footpaths, disrupting traffic and posing safety risks. The conditions require separate spaces for ticketing and queuing, smoother pedestrian movement, and widening of all stadium gates to a minimum of 6 feet,” said an officer familiar with the matter.
Fire safety upgrades include separate exits and improved evacuation routes. The stadium must also provide dedicated facilities for women and children, introduce a real-time system to track spectators inside, and improve parking as well as pick-up and drop arrangements nearby, the officer said. Other measures include increasing the number of entry and exit gates, creating dedicated crowd circulation zones away from public roads, installing internationally compliant emergency evacuation systems, and strengthening traffic and parking infrastructure around the stadium.