Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi to undergo renovation in bid to get World Cup ready

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is getting extensively renovated ahead of the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled to be played in October-November in India. The stadium will host five matches of the 2023 ODI World Cup. The move comes in response to criticism copped at the venue earlier this year for its lack of fundamental hygiene, particularly in the washrooms.

Back in April, following a Gap evaluation by the supreme cricketing governing body in India (BCCI), it was revealed that Delhi along with Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Mohali, was one of the five venues in the country that required a significant renovation. A gap evaluation shows the differences between the organization's actual condition and its intended future state.

In the last ten years, the popularity of cricket in India has soared, and the BCCI has made billions from broadcast rights. However, because most stadiums in India lack even the most basic amenities, the fans are frequently overlooked.

Rajan Manchanda, joint secretary at the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), stressed the DDCA's dedication to enhancing stadium infrastructure in order to provide fans with a great experience during the major event.

"We have planned a significant upgrade in the facilities, which will change the spectator seats, renovate the washrooms, paint the walls, and change our ticketing software," said Manchanda as reported by The Indian Express.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium can accommodate 35,000 people, and according to Manchanda, the DDCA will replace about 10,000 seats in addition to updating the venue's 15-year-old turnstiles.

"We must offer our supporters clean washrooms, hygienic food, and water at a fair price. Additionally, the housekeeping team's size will be expanded. By September 15, we want to have everything finished," Manchanda said.

As per reports, teams from the BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) will conduct a comprehensive recce of the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the third week of July, including an assessment of the pitch and outfield, to make sure the venue meets the highest standards.

Even though the weather is not very unpleasant in the months of October and November, the spectators will still be exposed to the sun since DDCA is unable to cover the open stands with a roof as making any substantial changes to the architectural design would require demolishing and rebuilding the existing structure from scratch.

Delhi will host its first game on October 7 when South Africa will be up against a Qualifier team. When India and Afghanistan will square off on October 11 against each other, it will arguably be the biggest match at this venue. Afghanistan will also play England on October 14 at Arun Jaitley. The final two league games are scheduled for October 25 (Australia vs Q1) and November 6 (Bangladesh vs Q2).