Locals see end to woes as PCA stadium in Mohali to host last IPL tie today
Deepankar Sharda
Mohali, May 2
Residents living nearby the IS Bindra PCA Stadium will heave a sigh of relief after the May 3 IPL match with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) likely to shift its operations to the newly built Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, after the tie later this year.
During matches in Mohali, barring Tests, the residents the houses situated close to the stadium were inconvenienced due to the traffic restrictions and poor management of spectators’ rush and parking.
The next edition of the IPL is likely to be held at the Mullanpur stadium, which has a parking for 1,620 vehicles.
“For the past 10 years, I have been facing problems due to vehicles parked haphazardly in front of my house by spectators during matches. The markets nearby, too, get choked with vehicles. During evening matches, the continuous honking of horns by spectators give us a tough time. It will be a relief if future matches are shifted to the new venue,” said Poonam Kapoor, a local resident.
Another resident, Inderesh Singh, said, “The police restrict entry to the area during matches. Though passes are issued to the nearby residents, negotiating heavy traffic to reach home is quite a task. With several roads leading to the stadium, spectators use all means to reach the gates.”
The entry is restricted to not only the residential area but also to Balbir Singh Hockey International Stadium. “The parking lot of the hockey stadium turns into a VIP parking causing traffic snarls. There is chaos all around,” said Pritam Thakur.
In March this year, the BCCI didn’t pick the Mohali stadium for hosting matches of the 2023 ODI World Cup, which is likely to start from October 5. A total of 12 venues were shortlisted across India. However, last month, the BCCI announced the renovation of the Mohali stadium at a cost of Rs 79.46 crore, indicating that the stadium may host the ODI World Cup matches.
Traffic blues
“For the past 10 years, I have been facing problems due to vehicles parked haphazardly in front of my house by spectators during matches. The markets nearby, too, get choked with vehicles. During evening matches, the continuous honking of horns by spectators give us a tough time. It will be a relief if future matches are shifted to the new venue,” said Poonam Kapoor, a local resident.
