From the roar of 55,000 fans to a cricket ground that can reportedly be made match-ready within 15 minutes of heavy rain, Green Park is set for a transformation that will make the historic venue Uttar Pradesh’s largest stadium by spectator capacity, surpassing Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium. The ₹456.94-crore redevelopment plan includes new spectator galleries, training facilities, a cricket museum, VVIP facilities and indoor and outdoor pitches.
The project has already received government approval for ₹350 crore, while the proposed budget has been raised to ₹456.94 crore. Regional sports officer Karmveer Singh said the architectural consultancy for the project has been given 75 days, while six months have been fixed for construction. Work is expected to begin next month.
The new spectator gallery will have an arch-shaped exterior inspired by the state emblem. The design will also incorporate shapes inspired by the swamp deer (the state animal), the sarus crane and the palash flower.
The redevelopment plan will also give the historic venue new galleries named after prominent figures associated with cricket in Kanpur and former players.
The galleries will be named after Sir Padampat Singhania, credited with bringing cricket to the city, and former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Gopal Sharma, Shashikant Khandekar, Rahul Sapru, Neetu David and Rita Dey. Galleries named after former players are already a feature of major stadiums such as Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi and Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The stadium will also house a cricket museum and have indoor and outdoor cricket pitches. A three-storey VVIP gallery is planned, with arrangements for around 15,000 people, including 500 VVIP guests.
{{/usCountry}}The stadium will also house a cricket museum and have indoor and outdoor cricket pitches. A three-storey VVIP gallery is planned, with arrangements for around 15,000 people, including 500 VVIP guests.
{{/usCountry}}The drainage system is another major feature of the redevelopment. Officials said it is designed to allow the stadium to be made ready for a match within 15 minutes even after heavy rainfall. According to them, similar systems have so far been installed at only two stadiums in India: the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.
Currently, the stadium has a seating capacity of over 32,000, according to the Kanpur district administration. With the proposed capacity of 55,000, the redeveloped Green Park will be larger than Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 50,000.