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As the crucial fourth T20 international between India and Australia approaches in Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, a significant hurdle emerges—parts of the stadium are without electricity. The reason behind this unexpected outage is an unpaid electricity bill lingering since 2009, accumulating to a staggering ₹3.16 crore.
The stadium’s electricity connection had been severed five years ago due to the overdue bill. While a temporary connection was established upon the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association’s request, it only covers the spectators’ gallery and boxes. Consequently, the floodlights essential for today’s match will have to rely on a generator.
Raipur Rural Circle in-charge Ashok Khandelwal confirmed that the association has applied to increase the temporary connection’s capacity from 200 KV to 1,000 KV. However, despite approval, the upgrade work is yet to commence.
This isn’t the first time the stadium has faced electricity-related issues. In 2018, athletes participating in a half-marathon discovered a lack of electricity supply, leading to revelations that the bill hadn’t been settled since 2009, amounting to ₹3.16 crore.
The stadium’s maintenance falls under the Public Works Department (PWD), with remaining expenses assigned to the Sports Department. Both departments have engaged in a blame game over the unpaid power bill. Despite receiving notices, neither department has made the required payment.
Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh media coordinator Tarunesh Singh Parihar expressed skepticism about hosting international matches due to the persisting issue. While generators serve as an alternative during major matches, concerns remain about the outstanding bills affecting the stadium lights. The impending match highlights the urgency to address the long-standing financial neglect impacting the prestigious venue .
