Bokaro: The Union Steel Ministry and the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) on Sunday gave their in-principal approval for transferring a 20-acre-plot near Visthapit College at Balidih in Bokaro, which falls under SAIL unit Bokaro Steel Plant’s (BSL) command area, to Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) for setting up an international cricket stadium.
The cricket stadium, which will be the third international one in Jharkhand after Ranchi and Jamshedpur, will be constructed with funds from BCCI. Bokaro MLA Biranchi Narayan said, “BCCI and JSCA have sanctioned Rs 250 crore for construction of the stadium. I had met SAIL chairman Soma Mandal and BSL’s director in-charge Amarendu Prakash in Delhi on Thursday and discussed the project. Now that the Union steel minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has given his consent, the proposed land will be allotted soon to the authorities concerned.”
Amarendu Prakash said, “The proposal for allotment of land for the cricket stadium has made progress and is likely to be finalised soon.”
A senior BSL official preferring anonymity said, “A few formalities and clearances need to be taken care of. Once that is done, the proposed plot is likely to be allotted shortly.”
In 2016, JSCA had sought land from Bokaro district administration for setting up a “world-class” cricket stadium here. While initially a plot in Satanpur area was allotted for this purpose the stadium could not be constructed there since the forest department did not give clearance. Later Narayan intervened and asked the BSL management to provide land from its command area for the project.