A ground reborn: The journey of ACA Stadium from a landfill to a Guwahati's first test venue

Guwahati, Nov 22: The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) Stadium in Guwahati will host its first Test, an India versus South Africa match, from November 22 to 26, starting a new era. It marks a defining chapter in Assam's sporting history. Many have credited BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia for his pragmative step in securing ACA this honour.

The journey of the stadium at Barsapara has been anything but easy. The land on which the facility now stands had once been a dumping ground. Over the years it passed through varied phases including a proposed site for the SOS Village FIFA Goal Project and also an early plan for what was once referred to as the Gopinath Bordoloi Stadium.

Much of the ground was marshy and scattered with waste, yet its transformation began slowly with the collective vision of sports supporters in the area.

For decades, Assam cricket depended almost entirely on Nehru Stadium whenever the State hosted international matches. Nehru Stadium, a multi-sports facility envisioned by Radha Govinda Baruah, served as the only venue capable of staging high profile cricket.

Every time an international fixture came up, ACA officials had to scramble to prepare the wicket and the outfield. Improvements required repeated requests to various authorities which of-ten placed heavy strain on both time and resources.

It was only in the late 1990s that the ACA leadership decided it needed a home of its own. A plot near the All Assam Tennis Association Complex in Chachal was identified by the then president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and secretary Nandan Bezbaruah.

The foundation stone was laid and earth filling began. However, for reasons never fully resolved, the initiative stalled and eventually came to a halt.

The turning point came after the ACA elections in 2002 at Bongaigaon. The new body, with support from district associations, resolved to take up a fresh plan at Barsapara.

A group of local residents led by West Guwahati MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, painter Sobha Brahma and several sports enthusiasts had been advocating that the dumping ground be preserved for a sports facility.

When the SOS Village project stopped work at the site, the ACA moved to take charge of the land.

The State Government soon allotted 59 bighas for the proposed stadium. Under the leadership of president Gautam Roy and secretary Bikash Baruah, the ACA began laying the groundwork.

Clearing the area was among the biggest challenges. Encroachment had spread widely and the land had become known as Rajiv Nagar. Even after earth filling began with the assistance of former Ranji cricketer Kamal Das, unauthorised settlements kept pushing inward.

The ACA went to court seeking eviction and in 2009 the Gauhati High Court ruled in its favour. With the help of the district administration nearly all encroachments were cleared and work resumed.

Construction progressed in phases. The foundation stone for the stadium was laid by then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on June 13, 2004. He laid another foundation stone on July 19, 2007 for the clubhouse and a stand in the presence of then BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah.

The project depended mainly on BCCI funds and its cost rose well beyond the initial estimate of Rs 100 crore. Several agencies including Sashi Prabhu and Co, Surjyaa Construction and Lloyd Insulations were engaged in the work. Sashi Prabhu served as the architect.

The outfield and wickets were laid by Klorofyll under Jaysimha Dutta while noted curator Daljit Singh guided the preparation of the sand based outfield. Assam's own curators Ratul Das and Barsamangal Baruah, later joined by Mukut Kalita, contributed to the wicket preparation. Soil for the pitches came from Andhra Pradesh and the grass for the outfield was imported from Australia. Seven wickets were laid in all.

The first official match at the venue was held on November 4, 2012, when Assam met Odisha in the East Zone Senior Women's One day Championship. The stadium later hosted Ranji Trophy matches during the 2013-14 season. It entered the international circuit on October 10, 2017 when India played Australia in a T20 International. The match was inaugurated by then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

From a landfill to a world-class cricket facility, the ACA Stadium's journey has been a story of persistence and vision. As Guwahati prepares to host its first Test from tomorrow, the achievement stands as a tribute to everyone who believed such a transformation was possible.