Chennai prepares for 2011 World Cup

CHENNAI: The cricket loving Chennai will have a new,  ultra modern stadium of international standards for the 2011  World Cup, which India would be co-hosting along with Paksitan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh during the months of February and March.

Following a plea by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the Tamil Nadu cabinet on Monday announced that it has decided to allot 50 acres of land on the Old Mahapalipuram Road for building the stadium.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, considered TNCA's request and decided to allot the land at Karunkuzhipallam village, off the IT corridor, on a 30-year lease basis, subject to some conditions, an official press release here  said.

Reacting to the annoucement, the newly elected Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Secretary Kasi Viswanathan exulted, "this is great news." 

He said the credit for realising TNCA's ambition goes to President N Srinivasan, who is also the BCCI Treasurer.

"He had made the effort and the entire credit for the grant of the land for the new stadium would go to him, he pointed out.

He said the project would be worked out once the executive committee gives its nod.