SAI and BAI carry out extensive upgrades at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium for World Championships
The Sports Authority of India and the Badminton Association of India said on August 10, 2026 they have carried out extensive refurbishment at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium to prepare for the BWF World Championships, which will be held from August 17-23. The work aims to prevent the kinds of infrastructure and animal intrusion problems that prompted criticism during the India Open earlier this year.
Having suffered a massive backlash for poor infrastructure and entry of pigeons and monkeys during the India Open earlier this year, the federations say the World Championships — returning to India after 17 years — have prompted six months of structural and cosmetic upgrades at the venue. "We started work in February itself. Since the infrastructure is very old, there were a lot of structural damages that we had to take care of. The old roof has been treated and repaired to make it waterproof, a lot of expansion joints have been treated, a lot of chairs in the seating area replaced," Ambar Pratap Singh, SAI Executive Director of the newly-formed engineering division, explained.
To prevent avian and simian intrusions, organisers have fitted automatic glass double doors at entry points to the main arena of the three principal buildings that form the complex — the main badminton arena, the velodrome and the K.D. Jadhav Hall. Additional measures include applying non-toxic gel to stop pigeons perching above courts, using imported machines that generate sound frequencies to repel birds at night, and employing three men to imitate langurs.
SAI has replaced the lighting system in the venue and the BAI is deploying extra lights to remove shadows on the newly-laid wooden courts. "Lighting was not an issue during India Open also but we have made it even better now. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is satisfied with the lighting in both the competition and practice arena," BAI secretary Sanjay Mishra said.
Officials also used a recent heavy spell of rainfall to locate structural vulnerabilities and address them ahead of the tournament. Ambar Pratap Singh said: "There were a few leakages but they have all been plugged. One part of the K.D. Jadhav Hall has also been upgraded to be used for practice."
The BWF World Championships are scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from August 17-23, with organisers saying the completed repairs and new deterrent measures are in place for the event.