NEW DELHI: A major step to enhance sports infrastructure, the Yogi Adityanath-led government has expedited preparations for Uttar Pradesh’s fourth international cricket stadium. Construction has officially begun on the Gorakhpur International Cricket Stadium—one of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s flagship projects. Currently, international matches in the state are hosted in Kanpur and Lucknow, while the Varanasi stadium nears completion.
Aligned with the Chief Minister’s vision, the Planning Department has finalized a comprehensive blueprint for the project. The stadium will be developed on a 50-acre plot in Tal Nadaur, Gorakhpur, with a projected investment of ₹236.40 crore. The entire project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
Of the total area, 45 acres will be dedicated to the main stadium, while the remaining 5 acres will house auxiliary facilities. The site is strategically located—23.6 km from the airport, 22 km from the Raptinagar bus stand, and 20.8 km from the Gorakhpur railway junction. A dedicated road connecting the stadium to the Gorakhpur-Varanasi Highway (NH-24) is also part of the infrastructure plan to boost accessibility.
Designed to meet international standards, including those set by the ICC, the stadium will feature seven main pitches and four practice pitches. It will seat approximately 30,000 spectators and serve as a multi-purpose venue for hosting international cricket matches and other large-scale events.
The stadium is being constructed under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model. Key structures include entry gates, security checkpoints, East and West stands, and North and South pavilions. Parking will accommodate up to 1,500 vehicles. Each of the East and West stands will have a capacity of 14,490 spectators, collectively accounting for 28,980 seats. Parking facilities will be integrated on the ground floors of these stands. Spectator amenities will include wide concourses, restrooms, drinking water stations, service rooms, first aid centers, merchandise outlets, video boards, and mid-wicket camera platforms.
The North Pavilion will house 208 VIP seats and a media gallery with 382 seats. Its ground floor will include a media lobby, broadcasting control room, equipment storage, kitchen, general storage, and utility areas. The first floor will be designated for stadium security, police facilities, a broadcaster sponsor room, a media lounge, and additional utility spaces. The second floor will contain a written press area, commentator boxes for TV and radio, and a media dining zone. The main camera platform will be located on the rooftop.
The South Pavilion will feature dressing rooms for players, areas for match officials, and a VIP/VVIP gallery with 1,708 seats. It will also include a players’ lounge, press conference room, changing rooms, a doping control room, first aid area, VVIP entrance lobby, and the main stadium kitchen.
The stadium will be equipped with modern facilities such as a match officials’ lounge, umpire and referee box, anti-corruption box, scorer’s box, and five VIP corporate boxes—each seating eight people—along with a VIP lounge and dining area. Additional features will include a presidential suite, more corporate boxes, VIP lounges, and advanced broadcasting infrastructure.
Lighting will be provided by four 60-meter-high mast poles suitable for HDTV broadcasts. The stadium complex will include clearly defined zones, solar panels, and an energy-efficient HVAC system. Supporting infrastructure will consist of an underground water tank, sewage treatment plant, internal roads, stormwater drainage systems, pedestrian pathways, and ample car parking.