THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is gearing up for a mega-sports project, including a cricket stadium. KCA's projects are being implemented on 21 acres of land in Palakkad district. The Chathankulangara Devi Temple Trust, which comes under the Malabar Devaswom, will be handing over its land for the construction of the stadium. The project will include two grounds, floodlight facility, club house, basketball court and football ground on the pattern of Thodupuzha.

The expense is expected to be Rs 30 crore. The land will be handed over for a period of 33 years on a lease basis. KCA will give Rs 10 lakh as a security deposit and Rs 21,35,000 every year to the temple. There is also a provision that priority will be given to the local people in the works that are part of the project. The construction work will begin by January 2025. The first phase of construction is scheduled to be completed by 2026. The second phase is targeted to be completed by April 2027.

It has been decided to sign an agreement on the project next month itself. Earlier in 2018, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) had initiated discussions and other procedures on the same project, but it was stalled due to the lockdown due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. KCA currently has stadiums in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Wayanad. The stadium will be built on the parameters on which first-class matches and Kerala Cricket Association matches can be organized.