Mangaluru: A cricket stadium that could give Mangaluru’s sporting ambitions a major boost may be taking shape, with authorities stepping up efforts to identify a suitable location for the proposed facility. A drone survey was conducted on Tuesday at several shortlisted sites as part of the preliminary exercise to assess land for the project.

Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) chairman Santosh Kumar Shetty and a MUDA revenue inspector were present during the survey.

Shetty said the next important step would be to take the shortlisted locations before the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). He said he hopes to meet KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad and other office-bearers on Friday to make a presentation on the identified sites. A KSCA delegation led by Prasad is expected to visit Mangaluru in December, he added.

The initiative follows a request from the KSCA, which has been exploring possibilities for strengthening cricket infrastructure in the coastal city. Responding to the association’s request, Shetty had earlier visited multiple locations to identify land suitable for developing a full-fledged cricket stadium.

The drone survey covered five locations — Tannirbhavi, Bengre, Bondel, Kudupu and private land in Panjimogaru. The exercise is expected to help assess the shortlisted properties as the process of identifying an appropriate site moves forward.

The KSCA has sought around 50 acres of government land in Mangaluru for the proposed project. Apart from a cricket stadium, the plan envisages practice facilities and other essential sporting infrastructure.

For aspiring cricketers in the coastal region, the proposed facility could open up new possibilities by providing better training infrastructure and opportunities to develop their talent closer to home. It is also expected to give a fresh impetus to Mangaluru’s sporting landscape, provided the project moves ahead as planned.