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'Dream of PM Modi': Amit Shah at inauguration of Motera cricket stadium
Spread over 63 acres, the Motera stadium has been built at an estimated cost of ₹800 crore. It has 11 pitches made of both red and black soil and is the only stadium in the world to have same soil surfaces for the main and practice pitches.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday thanked president Ram Nath Kovind for inaugurating the Motera stadium - the world's largest cricket stadium - in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. The Sardar Patel stadium was later renamed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The stadium will be part of Sardar Patel Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave (SPVPSE) whose bhumi pujan was also done by the President.
"The programme today lays the foundation for developing sports infrastructure in Ahmedabad. It will be known as Sports City across India - the dream Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw when he was the Gujarat chief minister," the home minister said at the inauguration ceremony.
He also talked about the facilities that will be provided to the sportspersons here, and how it will work towards ensuring excellence in all the disciplines of sports.
The entire facility of SPVPSE will offer venues for over 20 Olympic Games such as athletics, badminton, football, aquatics, basketball and many other indoor and outdoor sports.
The state-of-the-art facility can accommodate an awe-inspiring 1.32 lakh spectators.
It opened with the third Test between India and England, a day-night game from Wednesday, and will also host the fourth and final game of the series from March 4.
Spread over 63 acres, the stadium has been built at an estimated cost of ₹800 crore.
Australian architect firm Populous, which designed the Melbourne Cricket Stadium among others, is the architect of the new stadium.
It has 11 pitches made of both red and black soil and is the only stadium in the world to have same soil surfaces for the main and practice pitches.
