Raipur Stadium faces blackout ahead of IND vs AUS T20 match over unpaid bill
Raipur stadium, set to host the fourth T20I of IND vs AUS today, is grappling with power cut due to an unpaid electricity bill.
The Veer Savarkar Stadium in Raipur, set to host the fourth T20 international between India and Australia today, is grappling with a power crisis due to an unpaid electricity bill lingering since 2009. With just hours left for the crucial encounter, parts of the stadium remain in dark.
The stadium, currently has a pending bill of Rs 3.16 crore, and the electricity connection severed five years ago due to non-payment. A temporary connection was later installed, covering only the spectators’ gallery and boxes. For today’s match, the floodlights will rely on generators, highlighting the dire situation.
Raipur Rural Circle in-charge Ashok Khandelwal revealed that the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association has applied to increase the temporary connection’s capacity from 200 KV to 1 thousand KV. While the application has been approved, work on the upgrade is yet to commence.
In 2018, a similar power outage occurred during a half-marathon, leading to the revelation that the electricity bill had accumulated to Rs 3.16 crore since 2009. The blame game ensued between the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Sports Department, both responsible for stadium maintenance and expenses.
Despite multiple notices from the electricity company urging clearance of dues, no payment has been made to date. The stadium has hosted three international cricket matches since the power connection was cut in 2018.
Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh media coordinator Tarunesh Singh Parihar expressed skepticism about hosting international matches in such conditions, citing the use of generators as an alternative during significant events.
Ms Kalinga