GCDA Chairman, officials overlooked dissent note by estate superintendent against renting out stadium for dance event

Documents have emerged showing that the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) had rented out the Jawaharlal International Stadium at Kaloor to Mridanga Vision, organisers of the mass dance event where Uma Thomas, MLA, had a horrific fall, disregarding a file noting by its estate superintendent.

RTI activist Cheshire Tarzan, who had secured the relevant documents, has lodged a complaint with the Ernakulam unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) seeking a probe into the alleged conspiracy and corruption involving GCDA Chairman K. Chandran Pillai and the officials concerned in renting out the stadium for a non-sporting event.

Mridanga Vision managing director M. Nigoshkumar had reportedly requested the stadium on rent on September 24, 2024. In response, estate superintendent Sini K.A. noted in the file that the stadium had been allotted to the Indian Super League team Kerala Blasters FC for home matches from September 2024 to April 2025. “Since the turf has to be maintained as per international standards as required by FIFA and at present the stadium is allotted only for football matches, the applicant may be informed that his request cannot be considered. As the applicant has written to the GCDA Chairman, this may also be brought to the notice of the Chairman,” she said.

However, the estate manager reportedly ignored the note and signed the file. On October 15, 2024, the GCDA secretary allegedly noted in the file that the stadium could be allotted once the organisers obtained a no-objection certificate from Kerala Blasters FC. On the same day, Mr. Pillai allegedly remarked in the file that, as the programme was planned outside the turf, the stadium could be allotted with a rent of ₹9 lakh and a deposit of ₹5 lakh. Mridanga Vision reportedly transferred ₹13 lakh to the GCDA’s bank account the same day.

“But the Chairman unilaterally decided to allot the stadium even before the organisers provided a consent letter from the Kochi Corporation or no-objection certificates from the Fire and Rescue Services department and the police. Mridanga Vision had directly approached the Chairman, and their request was forwarded to the estate wing with his signature. Typically, such applications are processed by creating a file, which is first examined by the estate wing and the secretary before reaching the Chairman. The executive committee then decides on the allotment and fixes the rent,” said Mr. Tarzan.

The conditions set by the GCDA for allotting the stadium specify that temporary structures could be constructed only after obtaining prior approvals from the Corporation and the Fire and Rescue Services.

Moreover, the GCDA has not issued a notice to the organisers despite the serious injuries Ms. Thomas sustained from falling off the makeshift stage in the gallery. Mr. Tarzan also alleged that the Corporation incurred financial losses due to the Revenue Inspector’s failure to intervene, even though the event was widely advertised.