Gorakhpur: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will lay the foundation of the International Cricket Stadium in Gorakhpur on Saturday, marking a major step in the city’s emergence as a sports hub. The nearly Rs 393 crore project, considered one of the CM’s dream initiatives, will come up at Tal Nador along the Gorakhpur–Varanasi highway.Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri and UP sports minister Girish Chandra Yadav will also attend the ceremony.Construction on the stadium started on Dec 24, 2025, after land was allocated by the administration. The state government has already released the first instalment of Rs 63 crore, and around 7% of the work has been completed so far. The project is scheduled for completion by Dec 2027.Gorakhpur Rural MLA Vipin Singh described the project as a historic milestone for the city, saying the stadium would help establish Gorakhpur as a hub for world-class sports infrastructure and international sporting events.Spread across nearly 46 acres, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 spectators and will be built in a ground-plus-two-floor format. The main arena will feature seven playing pitches and four practice pitches.The eastern and western stands will each accommodate 14,490 spectators. The north pavilion will have seating for 208 VIPs and 382 media personnel, while the south pavilion will provide space for 1,708 VVIPs and VIPs.To facilitate day-night matches, the stadium will be equipped with four international-standard high mast floodlights. Apart from cricket, the venue will also be used for hosting other major events.The stadium site, connected to the four-lane Gorakhpur-Varanasi highway, is located around 24 km from Gorakhpur Airport and nearly 20 km from the railway station, ensuring easy accessibility for players and spectators.Leading public sector oil companies will contribute Rs 100 crore towards the project through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. Of the total amount, Indian Oil Corporation will contribute Rs 60 crore, Bharat Petroleum Rs 30 crore, and Hindustan Petroleum Rs 10 crore. Following the signing of MoU, the fund allocation process is currently underway.
