Reports: Maharashtra government to provide dedicate traffic lanes for IPL 2022

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to commence on March 26 with four-time winners Chennai Super Kings taking on the 2021 runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium, as the league marks a detour from the norm of defending champions featuring in the tournament opener at their home ground.

If that tradition, running since 2009, were to continue, the 2021 winners Chennai Super Kings would have played at the Chepauk. However, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2022 IPL has been restricted to only four venues across two cities, with three stadia in Mumbai – Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, DY Patil Stadium – set to host 55 league games and the other 15 scheduled at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (MCA) in Pune.

As per an Indian Express report, the Maharashtra Government has also assured the BCCI to provide a separate traffic lane for the tournament in a bid to ensure hassle-free and quick movement of the participating teams from grounds and training venues to hotels and vice-versa. The Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) ground at the BKC Complex and Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane, it is learnt, have been zeroed in as the training venues for the teams.

Maharashtra government is going to fully support BCCI: Milind Narvekar

Milind Narvekar, chairman of MCA’s governing council, confirmed that the Maharashtra government has extended full support to the BCCI after a meeting conducted on Saturday (February 26) where, apart from the Narvekar and board members, Maharashtra’s tourism and environment minister, Aaditya Thackeray was also present.

“Maharashtra government is going to fully support BCCI to organise a successful IPL. The decision regarding allowing crowds will be decided by Chief Minister Hon’ble Uddhav Thackeray,” Narvekar told the Indian Express.

It is learnt Thackeray spoke to Hemang Amin, BCCI’s interim CEO, and Ajinkya Naik, MCA Apex Council member “to understand the requirements” as the Maharashtra government is likely to allow crowds up to 25 per cent capacity of the stadium. “With ten teams taking part this season, the BCCI has decided to house two teams in one five-star hotel,” the report added. The Maharashtra government will also help the BCCI conduct regular rounds of RT-PCR testing and maintain the bio-secure bubble.