Hyderabad: Unseasonal showers during the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore game on Friday drove in a couple of hard, penetrative points into minds of the hapless Hyderabad crowd — the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is just not prepared for a rainy day, and no one really cares a fig for them. That’s because there is no roof over the stadium. The authorities at the Hyderabad Cricket Association have over the years publicly spoken about exploring the possibility of covering up all the seats, but those sound bytes have remained in the air. It was a mid-summer’s nightmare.
The scenes were agonising as the spectators, including many young women, tried to scamper to safety to avoid getting drenched. Huddled in some spots, they would come back only to find their seats soaked and nothing to dry them with. Some used the freely distributed Sunrisers flags to some effect while others employed the 4s and 6s placards. But yes, there was many a damp, uncomfortable posterior.
It was indeed cruel since the rain played cat and mouse and forced them out and in about thrice. The reported attendance was 28,839. When the stadium was conceptualised and the foundation stone laid, back in 2004, a protective roof was running all around. It’s showcased in the prototype as well. However, deviations coupled with some poor planning meant about 75 to 80 per cent of the seats are uncovered now.
Much later, the HCA erected canopies atop the North and South pavilion blocks but only the top tiers are protected. Barring the two-layer cosy corporate boxes, the lower two tiers again remain exposed to the vagaries of nature. Rain or shine, spectators in these areas are left to fend for themselves. And those seats don’t come cheap — North Pavilion ground floor (Rs 4,000), first floor (Rs 2,500); South Pavilion’s west terrace (Rs3,000) and east terrace (Rs750).
The less said of the East and West stands the better. They are just open to the sky. The spectators pay Rs 850 and Rs 1,100 respectively for seats in these enclosures. It’s high time the Hyderabad cricket authorities looked after the paying public well, and realise that it is the spectators and fans who power the game.
