The Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera near Ahmedabad, which was recently renovated, has been renamed as the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
Ahead of the first Test match at revamped stadium, popularly known as the Motera Stadium, new name was announced in an inauguration ceremony that was attended by President Ram Nath Kovind, Home Minister Amit Shah, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah among others.
After the extensive renovation work which increased seating capacity to a record 1,10,000, making it the world’s largest cricket stadium, it will host its first Test match on Wednesday with India taking on England in a a day-night match.
“Coupled with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave & Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, a sports complex will also be built in Naranpura. These three will be equipped to host any international sports event. Ahmedabad to be known as the ‘sports city’ of India,” said Shah at the inauguration ceremony.
The stadium is constructed by the Larsen & Turbo (L&T) company, which also built the Statue of Unity in a very short span of 5 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Dream Project of the largest stadium in Motera has 76 corporate boxes, an Olympic level swimming pool, an indoor academy, four dressing rooms for athletes, food courts and a GCA clubhouse, too.
A total of 11 clay pitches of six red and five black soils have been prepared in the stadium. It is the first stadium to use both coloured clays for main and practice pitches. In the event of rain, the pitch can be dried in only 30 minutes.
The state-of-the-art LED Floodlights will not uncomfortably warm up the atmosphere and will provide comfort to the spectators as well as the cricketers.
An innovative feature of this stadium is that the 360-degree podium concourse at a height of 9 meters eases simplifies the movement of spectators, as well as provides a uniform view to the spectators from any stand.