STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: More than one year after the announcement to modernise MA Stadium in the winter capital was made under Prime Minister’s Development Package, work on the project on ground zero is yet to begin.
In the absence of modern facilities, the sportsmen are forced to undergo training across available sports infrastructure.
In October 2016, a formal announcement was made by the Union government to allocate Rs 200 crore for upgrading sports infrastructure in the State. It included renovating and repairing both the Bakshi Stadium and MA Stadium at a cost of Rs 84 crore.
Besides, sports stadia across district headquarters were proposed to attract youth towards participating in various tournaments than taking part in protest rallies and hartal calls especially across trouble torn districts of Kashmir Valley.
According to highly placed sources in the J&K Sports Council, work on the renovation of MA Sports Stadium is held up as several rooms occupied by various people are yet to be vacated.
“We have already issued notices to those staying in these rooms including care takers and those running dry canteens to find alternate accommodation so that renovation work can be taken up in hands”, a senior J&K Sports Council official said.
A senior official also maintained that despite proposing alternate accommodation for these occupants they are reluctant to vacate the premises at a short notice, citing examination schedule of their children.
The senior official claimed a delegation of these people had recently met senior officials of the J&K Sports Council and were given an assurance that none of them would be thrown out forcibly provided they agree to relocate till renovation work was completed.
The J&K Sports Council has set a tentative deadline of February 2018 to start renovation of sports stadium. The decision was taken in the wake of State-level Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
