MUMBAI: The Wankhede Stadium’s President’s Box, from where all the top dignitaries, including actors, cricket greats and BCCI/MCA officials enjoy the action, is set to get an open-air feel during the World Cup in October-November.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), while refurbishing the stadium for the World Cup, has decided to open a major part of the President’s Box in order to give a ‘balcony-like’ feeling to the VIP spectators sitting there.
The President’s Box accommodates about 200 seats—with 100 seats allotted to the BCCI officials, and the other 100 being given to their MCA counterparts.
“The refurbished President’s Box will have both open and closed seating. There will be both an AC and non-AC section. A major seating area will be outside, in the open, with very few seats and hospitality services being inside. This will enable the spectators to enjoy the on-field experience of watching a match, which wasn’t there earlier,” MCA president Amol Kale told TOI.
The Wankhede Stadium will host five matches during the mega tournament, including the India versus Sri Lanka clash on November 2, and the first semifinal on November 15.
The first match in Mumbai will see England lock horns with South Africa on October 21.
(AI image)
Meanwhile, the MCA signed a contract last week with the architects of the Wankhede Stadium, Shashi Prabhu & Associates, for refurbishing the entire stadium for the World Cup.
“Time is a constraint but the MCA’s endeavour will be to renovate all the toilets, build a ramp for specially-enabled spectators and provide as much spectator-friendly atmosphere as possible. The re-laid outfield is already looking lush green,” a source said.
