Promises galore, Gandhi Ground upgrade yet to begin
Even as local politicians have time and again promised to upgrade Gandhi Ground for hosting Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, the sports facility is yet to see improvement in infrastructure.
The ground has hosted several international tournaments in the past, but the failure of the authorities concerned to upgrade infrastructure has rendered it unsuitable for hosting even first-class cricket matches.
The last international match played here was between India and New Zealand in 1995.
Like the rest of the country, cricket is the most followed sport in Amritsar too. So, cricket was the first sport to get a stadium in the city during the British rule. However, in the absence of any modernisation plans in the last two decades, Gandhi Ground has been relegated among all cricket grounds in north India.
In 2015, the then Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi, after a visit to the ground, had announced to develop world-class facilities to enable Gandhi Ground host IPL matches. He had expressed the desire to establish it as a world-class stadium on the lines of Feroze Shah Kotla in New Delhi and PCA Stadium in Mohali. Joshi had shared that proceedings in this regard had been initiated and the government was going to invite global bids.
It was even announced that the sketch and design of the sport facility would also be finalised shortly after the completion of the tendering process. The seating capacity of the stadium was supposed to be doubled, besides the provision of ultra-modern infrastructure and other facilities for players.
Next on the list of dignitaries who promised to upgrade the ground was former cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh. Responding to a tweet by a local activist, Harbhajan had shared that with the blessings of Guru Ramdas Maharaj this dream of all will be fulfilled soon. “I will do my best, it’s my promise,” he said.
In 2023, AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, after attending a prize distribution function as a chief guest at the ground, had announced to developing Gandhi Ground for hosting international cricket matches.
Way back in 2009, politicians had announced that floodlights would be installed at Gandhi Ground to host day-night matches. However, nothing has happened in this direction so far.
In 2017, former chairman of the BCCI Selection Committee MSK Prasad had stated that the ground was fit to host national and international matches provided its infrastructure was expanded.
Established in 1932, with a donation from Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala and the then Punjab government, the ground is spread over 22 acres. The first high-profile match played here was between India XI and MCC in 1933. The Indian cricket team was led by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. Lala Amarnath, Col CK Naidu and Surjit Singh Majithia were other notable players in the match.
The cricket ground has hosted several international matches, including those against West Indies, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England. The Indian cricket team played here against Sri Lanka in 1983. The North Zone cricket team took on West Indies in 1984. India versus World XI and India versus New Zealand matches were played here in 1995.
When contacted, Inderjit Singh Bajwa, secretary of the Amritsar Games Association (AGA), the administrative body that looks after the ground, said he had resigned from the post two months back. He admitted that neither any capacity enhancement nor infrastructural development was carried out in the ground as no funds were earmarked.
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