Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of an international cricket stadium in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Saturday.

Former India cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar and Ravi Shastri, BCCI President Roger Binny, its vice-president Rajiv Shukla and secretary Jay Shah were present on the occasion. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the function.

The Uttar Pradesh government said that it has spent Rs 121 crore to acquire the land for the stadium while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will spend Rs 330 crore on its construction.

To be built near the Ring Road in Rajatalab area, the stadium is likely to be ready by December 2025. The spectators' gallery of the stadium would resemble the steps of the ghats of Varanasi.

This will be Uttar Pradesh's third international cricket stadium after Kanpur and Lucknow.

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