PANJIM: The Goa Cricket Association in its revived plan for constructing an international standard cricket stadium at Tivim-Mapusa, requested the State government to give nod to go ahead.
“We have in our possession one lakh square meters of land which was acquired to construct stadium. Goa government had granted in-principle approval for the cricket stadium in 2007, but it later withdrew the consent in 2012 after farmers objected to it,” President Chetan Desai informed.
He said the State Cabinet had then adopted a resolution cancelling lease deed for the stadium, but actual cancellation is yet to happen.
In view of the uncertainty over Tivim project, the then GCA president Dr Shekhar Salkar had acquired 2.92 lakh square metres of the land at Maulinguem in Bicholim Taluka for construction of the stadium.
Chetan said the land purchased at Maulinguem is not feasible for an international stadium due to inadequate access to the venue.
“The stadium at Maulinguem will also not be commercially viable,” he said.
He further added that the stadium at Tivim will have 35,000 seating capacity and it will help the GCA to bid for One Day International and even Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
