Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur is set to get a major boost in sports infrastructure as chief minister Yogi Adityanath will lay the foundation stone of an international cricket stadium in the city on Saturday.The stadium, coming up at Tal Nador on the Gorakhpur-Varanasi highway, will be built at a cost of Rs 392.94 crore. Officials said the state govt has already released the first instalment of Rs 63.39 crore and preliminary construction work, including alignment, land filling and levelling, has begun.The project is being seen as one of the dream initiatives of CM Yogi aimed at transforming Gorakhpur into a hub for international sporting events and world-class sports infrastructure. Once completed, it will be the fourth international cricket stadium in Uttar Pradesh after Kanpur, Lucknow and Varanasi.Spread across 46 acres, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 spectators and will be developed in a ground-plus-two-floor structure. It will feature seven playing pitches and four practice pitches. The east and west stands will accommodate 14,490 spectators each, while the north pavilion will be dedicated to the media and the south pavilion for VIPs.To facilitate day-night matches, the stadium will have four international-standard high-mast floodlights. Besides cricket, the venuewill also host large-scale events and programmes.Officials said the stadium enjoys strategic connectivity as it is located along the four-lane Gorakhpur-Varanasi highway, around 24 km from the airport and nearly 20 km from the railway station.DM Deepak Meena said the project would accelerate multi-dimensional development along the highway corridor. He added thatwith veterinary facilities, a college and a large Kanha Gaushala already under construction nearby, the area is expected to emerge as a new growth centre generating business and employment opportunities.
