Bihar to reconstruct cricket stadium to host IPL matches

Encouraged by BCCI's decision to grant full membership to Bihar cricket body, the state government today said it would demolish and reconstruct the Moinul Haque Stadium here to host domestic and IPL matches.

"We will raze the existing infrastructure and build a brand new Moinul Haque Stadium where premier domestic cricket tournaments like Ranji Trophy and the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be held among other sports in future," Art, Culture and Youth Department Minister Shiv Chandra Ram said in the state Assembly.

Ram said that the 40,000 capacity Moinul Haque Stadium would be reconstructed at a cost of Rs 300 crore for which technical approval has been obtained, but administrative approval was being awaited.

He, however, did not commit a time-frame for completion of construction works of the stadium which was built in 1969-70 and hosted two ODIs in 1993 and 1996.

The Art, Culture and Youth Department Minister expressed satisfaction at the grant full membership to Bihar by the BCCI and said that the decision would help budding cricketers of the state.

Budding cricketers of Bihar will soon get a chance to represent their own state, he said.

Ram was replying to the debate on his department's budgetary demand for Rs 137.55 crore for 2017-18 which was later passed amid walk out by opposition members.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)