As cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the fourth T20 international showdown between India and Australia at Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh stadium, an unexpected glitch threatens to dim the excitement. With mere hours remaining for the crucial encounter, certain sections of the stadium find themselves shrouded in darkness, all due to an unpaid electricity bill dating back to 2009.
The stadium, host to today’s high-stakes match, grapples with a staggering outstanding bill of ?3.16 crore, a debt that led to the severance of its electricity connection five years ago. Despite a temporary connection being installed at the behest of the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association, it provides coverage only to the spectators’ gallery and boxes. Consequently, the floodlights crucial for the match are compelled to rely on generators.
Raipur Rural Circle in-charge, Ashok Khandelwal, disclosed that an application submitted by the Cricket Association to augment the capacity of the temporary connection, currently at 200 KV, has received approval to be upgraded to 1 thousand KV. However, despite the green light, work on this enhancement is yet to commence.
Can India seal the series in Raipur today?
This isn’t the first time the stadium has been marred by electrical woes. In 2018, during a half-marathon event, participants were confronted with a power outage, bringing attention to the long-standing issue of unpaid electricity bills. The accumulated sum, a staggering ?3.16 crore, traces its origins back to 2009.
After the stadium’s construction, its maintenance was entrusted to the Public Works Department (PWD), with the remaining expenses earmarked for the Sports Department. However, a blame game ensued between the two departments, each pointing fingers at the other for the prolonged neglect of the outstanding power bill.
As the cricket spotlight descends on Raipur for this pivotal T20 clash, the shadow of unpaid dues raises questions not just about the financial management of the stadium but also about the potential impact on the match itself. After three back-to-back high-voltage games, the Indian team will look to get back on track. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team will be keen to win the game and the series too. However, Australia will look to continue their winning run.
