Day before India-West Indies T20, Ekana stadium renamed after Atal Bihari Vajpayee

The order was issued by Housing and Urban Planning Department Principal Secretary Nitin Ramesh Gokarn after Governor Ram Naik gave his nod.

Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow was Monday renamed after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, just a day before it is scheduled to hold its first international T20 match between India and West Indies.

The dream project of Samajwadi Party (SP) national president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has now been rechristened as ‘Bharat Ratan Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Antar-rashtriya Cricket Stadium’. The order was issued by Housing and Urban Planning Department Principal Secretary Nitin Ramesh Gokarn after Governor Ram Naik gave his nod.

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The government notice said, “As per the Article 17.5.1 of the concession agreement between Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), Ekana Sportz City Pvt Ltd and GC Constructions and Development Industries Pvt Ltd, after giving it proper thoughts the Governor has happily accepted the proposal to change name of the international cricket stadium, situated in the Sector 7 of Gomti Nagar Extension, to Bharat Ratan Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Antar-rashtriya Cricket Stadium.”