Motera stadium named after Modi Conceptualised by PM when he was Gujarat CM: President Kovind Mahesh Langa AHMEDABAD The world’s largest cricket arena at Motera in Ahmeda- bad, the Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium, was renamed Na- rendra Modi Stadium and was inaugurated on Wednes- day by President Ram Nath Kovind in the presence of Un- ion Home Minister Amit Shah, his son Jay Shah, who is BCCI Secretary, and others. The rebuilt stadium is part of the proposed Sardar Val- labhbhai Patel Sports En- At the launch: President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the clave to be spread over 220 Bhumi Pujan of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave. * PTI acres on the Sabarmati river bank in the North East of Ah- complex will also be built in in 2016 and has been com- ter Narendra Modi when he medabad. The foundation Naranpura,” Home Minister pleted at the estimated cost was Chief Minister of Gujarat. stone for the Enclave was al- Amit Shah announced in his of ₹800 crore. He was president of the Guja- so laid on Wednesday by the speech. “These three will be The refurbished venue is rat Cricket Association at that President. It will comprise a ready to host any interna- spread over 63 acres and has time," President Ram Nath natatorium, athletics track, tional sports event.” a seating capacity of 1.1 lakh, Kovind said during his inaug- football, hockey and tennis The initiative at Motera more than double the pre- ural address. stadia, velodrome/skating was the dream project of vious number of 49,000. The It may be noted that exact- area among other facilities. Prime Minister Narendra Mo- ground has been equipped ly one year ago, on February “Coupled with the Sardar di, who had conceived it as with LED floodlights, a first 24, PM Modi had hosted the Vallabhbhai Patel Sports En- President of GCA and Chief for any Indian sports site. then US President Donald clave and Narendra Modi Sta- Minister of Gujarat in 2014. “This stadium was con- Trump at the same venue in a dium in Motera, a sports The construction had begun ceptualised by Prime Minis- mega event Namaste Trump..