A week after the chaotic Messi event, Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata lies in ruins with broken seats and damaged fixtures, causing an estimated Rs 2.5 crore loss. Frustrated fans vandalized the venue upon failing to see the football star. This incident highlights ongoing management issues at the iconic ground.
The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), known as Salt Lake Stadium, was inaugurated in 1984 by then-West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and once held 1,20,000 spectators, making it one of the world's largest stadiums. Between 2015 and 2017, it underwent a Rs 100-126 crore renovation for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, featuring modern blue bucket seats, Riviera Bermuda natural grass, and luxury amenities like ice baths.
Last week, chaos erupted when thousands of angry fans, unable to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi during an exhibition event, tore down banners, hurled water bottles and chairs, and ransacked the ground. The stadium now shows thousands of broken seats and damaged fixtures, with rows of modern blue bucket seats shattered.
“Preliminary estimated financial loss stands at approximately Rs 2.5 crore. Chairs, synthetic running track, iron fences, gates, and high-end technical equipment including LED screens and speakers have been vandalised,” said a Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate official.
Fans paid Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for tickets but were disappointed by poor event management. “The vandalism was a reaction of fans who aren’t used to paying Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 only to be disappointed,” said Uttam Saha, founder secretary of the Argentina Fan Club. He called it an “administrative failure,” noting security personnel were distracted, with IPS officers taking selfies. “Money can renovate the stadium again, but what will never come back is the emotional trust of the fans who left without seeing their God.”
A former football player, speaking anonymously, added: “The deeper cost lies in the damage to Kolkata’s reputation as a world-class sporting host... the challenge now is not just to fix the fixtures, but to ensure that Kolkata again sees its love for the game despite the recent administrative-police failure and heartbreak.”
This is not the first controversy at the venue or related grounds. In 1980, 16 people died in a stampede at Eden Gardens during a Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal match due to poor crowd segregation. The 1996 Cricket World Cup saw a riot after India's loss to Sri Lanka, with the match awarded to Sri Lanka. In 2007, violence during the IFA final led Palmeiras to walk off after 35 minutes. Around 2010, a match was cancelled after Mohun Bagan fans hurled stones, injuring player Syed Rahim Nabi and 40 others.
