An expert panel appointed by the Karnataka government will walk through M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, 13 March, for what everyone hopes is the last inspection before IPL 2026 begins. If the committee is satisfied, the ground finally gets its full-throated approval to stage not only Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home fixtures but any other top-tier match the calendar throws up.
“We’ve met every single item on the short-term list,” a senior Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administrator said on Wednesday. Earlier permissions, he reminded, were still “conditional”, yet no one inside the state body expects a late snag.
Work on the old ground has been relentless since mid-December. You can see the new turnstiles, extra staircases, and the broader walkways taking shape. There’s even a designated holding zone near the former National Cricket Academy block – the idea is to stop the sort of dangerous crush that scarred last year’s victory parade, when 11 people lost their lives. Emergency vehicles, another sticking point, now have their own gates in and out.
The Justice D’Cunha Committee, brought in after that tragedy, handed KSCA a 15 March deadline for the quick fixes, and, by all accounts, the association has beaten it. Venkatesh Prasad, elected KSCA president three months ago, said simply, “We promised we’d get it done – looks like we have.” The state electricity board, which cut power in July over safety shortcomings, has also ticked off every outstanding note.
Separately, RCB have confirmed they’re back in Bengaluru after weeks of sometimes prickly talks with the government and police. Metro Rail officials are part of the conversation too, with extra late-night services on match days looking likely. Supporters will notice another tweak: QR codes replace the old printed tickets, a small change that should mean shorter queues and fewer frayed tempers.
As for cricket, the fixtures land on 28 March, when RCB meet Sunrisers Hyderabad. Chennai Super Kings arrive a week later on 5 April. Those are the only two home matches in the first chunk of the schedule; three more will follow once the second-half list is released. RCB’s ‘other’ home base, the Shaheed Veer Narayan ground in Raipur, hosts the remaining pair.
All that, though, hinges on Friday’s walk-through. Given the progress, nobody is panicking, yet the KSCA will still be breathing easier once the experts sign that final piece of paper.
