At the Bhoomi Poojan and foundation stone laying ceremony of the Gorakhpur International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the stadium is being developed with support from the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, while another international cricket stadium is also under construction in Varanasi with help from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the Gorakhpur stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 and will be spread across 46 acres. He added that parking facilities will also be available and another 60 acres of land has been reserved for a sports complex for indoor games.

Calling the project an effort to improve sports infrastructure and support young athletes, Yogi said the state government is providing encroachment-free land for sports development.

“With the help of BCCI, an international cricket stadium is being built in Varanasi. And today, the foundation stone of an international cricket stadium has been laid here by the UP government with support from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas…the stadium has a capacity of 30,000, it spans across 46 acres of land, and parking will be available. 60 acres of land have been reserved for a sports complex just next door for indoor games…the double-engine government is providing encroachment-free land where the futures of the youth will be shaped,” CM Yogi said.

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Indian Oil Corporation has contributed Rs 60 crore for the project under the inistry of petroleum and natural gGas.

Puri also spoke about the Centre’s focus on sports and fitness through programmes such as Fit India Movement and Khelo India launched under Narendra Modi.

“I am happy to share that Indian Oil Corporation, which operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has contributed Rs 60 crore to this important initiative…with Fit India Movement and Khelo India, PM Modi has turned fitness and sports into a mass movement…Gorakhpur stadium, which will be built on 45 acres of land and will have a capacity of 30,000, will serve as an inspiration to the youth,” Hardeep Puri said.