The much-anticipated second Test between India and Bangladesh, set to begin on October 2 at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, has raised safety concerns. Engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) have flagged the structural integrity of pillars in Balcony C, leading the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) to limit ticket sales for that section.
According to reports, engineers warned that the balcony might not be able to support a crowd if they get too excited during the match. “This stand won’t be able to take the weight of even 50 fans, if they start jumping after Rishabh Pant hits a six,” a PWD engineer told The Indian Express.
As a result, UPCA officials decided to restrict ticket sales for Balcony C. Ankit Chatterjee, CEO of UPCA, confirmed that only 1,700 tickets will be sold for the section, which has a capacity of 4,800. The necessary repair work is expected to continue for the next few days.
The concerns don’t end with Balcony C. One of the floodlights near the VIP pavilion is reportedly malfunctioning. In a previous match in 2021, poor lighting at Green Park made it difficult for India to secure a win against New Zealand, despite all the lights being on.
With these issues in mind, the UPCA will need to ensure that all repairs and preparations are completed ahead of the Test to avoid any further complications.