IND vs NZ 2024: Lack of drinking water at Pune's MCA Stadium leaves spectators upset

Spectators at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune faced severe hardships during the opening day of the second Test between India and New Zealand. Several attendees argued complained about the lack of proper drinking water services and adequate shelter in the scorching heat.

The condition at the 37,000-capacity stadium worsened during the lunch break when hundreds of fans desperately queued up near the North Stand in search of water. The chaos escalated to such an extent that police intervention was necessary to manage the growing crowds.

With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity levels, the spectators were in desperate need of water. Approximately 20 people reported symptoms of dehydration and dizziness, requiring immediate medical attention at the first-aid kiosk in the North Stand alone. Medical staff indicated that similar cases were reported across other stands, with the conditions faced by approximately 18,000 attendees.

Despite the MCA's initial promise of providing free water during the match, many fans were forced to purchase water from vendors at inflated prices. One frustrated spectator revealed that their expenditure on water bottles exceeded the cost of their match ticket. Responding to the crisis, MCA secretary Kamlesh Pisal issued an apology and promised immediate action. 

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Apologise to the fans for the inconvenience caused: MCA secretary Kamlesh Pisal

The stadium's infrastructure further aggravated the situation, as more than half of the spectators had to face the harsh weather conditions without proper shade, with only six stands featuring roof coverage.

"We can only apologise to the fans for the inconvenience caused. But we want to assure them, through MCA, that this won't be repeated, and everything will be taken care of. Considering the scorching heat, we decided to provide cold water. In our previous experience, the fans had complained about us providing warm water or boiling water," Pisal told reporters.

"We, as management, thought we would provide them with cold water, so we had kept cool cages. Once the water in cool cages finished, we tried to refill it with the same cold water, and in that process, it got delayed. We have done a recce of the entire water in stands and will make sure everything is refilled properly tonight to avoid such situations," Pisal told reporters.