The Balcony C stand at Green Park, Kanpur, has been labeled “dangerous” by the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) just days before the second India-Bangladesh Test. Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) CEO Ankit Chatterjee confirmed the reduction in ticket sales due to safety concerns.
“The PWD has raised some issues, and we have agreed to limit ticket sales for Balcony C. We’ve been told to sell only 1,700 tickets for the stand, which has a capacity of 4,800. The repair work will continue over the next few days,” Chatterjee shared.
A PWD engineer warned about the risk posed by large crowds in the area, saying, “This stand won’t support even 50 fans if they start jumping after a Rishabh Pant six. The structure urgently needs repairs.”
Reports indicate that PWD officers and UPCA officials met recently and concluded the stand could not handle full capacity. Additionally, a sports department official flagged concerns with eight floodlight bulbs near the VIP pavilion, hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2021 India-New Zealand Test.
“Visibility has always been an issue in Kanpur, largely due to pollution. The last time, India missed a win against New Zealand because of bad light, even with all the floodlights on. Hopefully, we won’t face that embarrassment again,” said the official.