Karnataka has approved a Rs 1,650 crore sports complex in Surya City, Bengaluru, with an 80,000-seat cricket stadium. The project follows calls to shift large events from Chinnaswamy Stadium after a deadly stampede in June.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approved a Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) proposal to build a new world-class sports complex in Surya City, Bommasandra. The complex will feature an 80,000-seat cricket stadium, making it the second-largest in India after Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, which holds 1,32,000 spectators, says an Economic Times report. The Rs 1,650 crore project will be fully funded by the KHB without state government financial support. It will cover 100 acres and have facilities for eight indoor and eight outdoor sports, gyms, training centres, swimming pools, hostels, hotels, guest houses, and a convention hall for international events.
Link to Chinnaswamy Stadium tragedy
The proposal comes after the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 victory celebrations. The tragedy killed 11 people and injured several others. The Justice John Michael Cunha Commission found the 32,000-seat stadium on 17 acres unsuitable for large events and suggested shifting them to bigger venues with better infrastructure. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government will consider shifting major cricket events to larger locations.
“This incident is saddening, but no misstep was taken by the administration. Legal action has been taken against those found guilty. Such an incident should never happen under any government,” he said.
The CM confirmed that five police officers were suspended over negligence. The state intelligence chief and his political secretary were also replaced. “The case has been taken seriously and appropriate action has been taken,” Siddaramaiah said.
Other sports infrastructure plans in Bengaluru
Apart from the Surya City project, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has called for tenders to build a modern stadium in Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Layout in the city’s north. The Greater Bengaluru Development Authority (GBDA) is planning a sports city in Bidadi. Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar has suggested it should be capable of hosting the Olympic Games.