Now, the gate of renovated Kaloor stadium crashes

An autorickshaw driver and three passengers had a narrow escape when a heavy gate at the main entrance of the newly renovated Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) International Stadium, Kaloor, collapsed with a loud thud on Friday (March 6, 2026) around 5.30 p.m.

The stadium, owned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), was renovated last year by a private sponsor, Reporter Broadcasting Corporation, which claimed to have spent around ₹70 crore on the works.

Chandran, the autorickshaw driver, was ferrying passengers to the bus stop near the stadium when the incident occurred. “I saw a security guard at the entrance pushing the gate, which suddenly started to collapse. I was fortunate to apply the brake at the nick of time, narrowly avoiding it crashing into my vehicle,” he said. “The incident, which occurred during peak hours when motorists and pedestrians were passing through the entrance, could have had grave consequences,” he added.

Though the guard and autorickshaw drivers nearby tried to move the collapsed gate off the road, they were unable to do so owing to its weight. GCDA sources said the gate came off its hinges as the guard attempted to close it. It was later cordoned off. GCDA engineers are scheduled to inspect the site on Saturday (March 7, 2026).

This is the second incident to cast a shadow on the recent renovation works. Last month, the stadium roof leaked heavily during the first spell of showers, on the eve of Kerala Blasters FC’s season opener in the Indian Super League. The episode triggered a flood of memes on social media, one of them captioned: “Free showers as well for Messi.” in an apparent reference to the international friendly matched that was supposed to be hosted by the stadium last year.

The renovation was undertaken in preparation for an international friendly featuring defending World Cup champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi. The match, originally scheduled for November 25, 2025, has since been postponed. The sponsor handed back the stadium to the GCDA on November 28 after claiming completion of the works. The GCDA’s decision to entrust the stadium’s renovation to a private sponsor had attracted considerable criticism.