Worrisome issues persist at refurbished Sree Kanteerava

There is no denying the fact that the Sree Kanteerava indoor stadium looks better than it has been in over a decade.

That is saying a lot given that the venue which was originally built to host the National Games in 1997 and since then has been nothing more than the residence for hordes pigeons and the many trade fairs.

The stadium has been in a mess for a long time now and the organisers were left with the tough task of cleaning it up for the show.

In the limited time available to them, they have come a long way but nowhere near what is expected from an arena which is set to host some of the biggest names in badminton on Saturday and Sunday.

Operation ‘clean up Kanteerava’ has been a rather tedious one and the organisers, in collaboration with the State authorities, have managed to chase the pigeons -- barring a dozen or two -- away and are doing a great job in setting up the hospitality boxes. The stage is set and the playing mat is laid out but they still haven’t been able to tackle the dust.

The bigger issue, however, is the lack of an air conditioning system. Going with what the organisers have to say, around three thousand people are expected to throng the stadium. It is unlikely those numbers will throng the stadium when Mumbai Masters take on Awadhe Warriors on Saturday.

But on Sunday, it is expected to be a packed house since home team Banga Beats will be in action against Delhi Smashers. The lack of any real form of ventilation is bound to stifle the crowd, while the absence of designated parking areas and poorly maintained restrooms will make a visit to the venue miserable.

The players will face their own set of problems. World over, badminton venues are expected to stage tournaments at temperatures ranging between 18-21 degrees celsius. That surely won’t be the case here even if outside temperatures are pleasant. As the crowd packs in and the lights come on the players are going to feel the heat.  If there is anyone who is bound to bring it up, it is going to be World No 1 and Mumbai Masters’ lynchpin Lee Chong Wei.

The Malaysian retired in the third game of a tightly contested final against Lin Dan in the World Championships in Guangzhou due to cramps. Lee went on to blame the air conditioning system for the setback. One can only wonder what Lee, who still hasn’t gotten a glimpse of the venue, rakes up when he eventually lands up here.

The other issue the organisers are scurrying to fix is the lighting. For reasons unknown, the playing mat is right in line of the lights, so basically, each time the shuttle goes up, players are going to be blinded by the lights.

There are a few other niggles that one can look past but these prominent issues could well pose problems. Had the government authorities maintained the stadium properly, the issues could have been averted.