CHENNAI: Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will inaugurate a newly built international-standard cricket stadium in Madurai today.
The stadium, developed by the Velammal Educational Trust with the support of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), is located on an 11.5-acre site near Velammal Hospital on Chinthamani Ring Road, said a Maalaimalar report.
Built at a cost of Rs 325 crore, the facility features multiple practice pitches, a players’ lounge, gym, ambulance and medical facilities, and ample car parking space. A well-designed drainage system ensures quick water flow during rains.
Lighting towers have been set up after consultations with cricket ground experts from Australia and England. The gallery is designed to seat 20,000 spectators, with the first phase already providing 7,300 seats. Around 197 CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the ground and its surroundings.
This will be Tamil Nadu’s second-largest cricket stadium after Chennai’s Chepauk, and it is expected to host TNPL, IPL, and Ranji Trophy matches in the future.