The Patliputra Sports Ground in the state capital of Bihar will be thrown open for sportspersons from this Thursday.

Players may use the ground for training and practice sessions, but the ground will still not be available to morning walkers and sports contests will also not be allowed there.

Located at Kankarbagh in Patna, the Patliputra Sports Ground was closed in March 2020 following the Covid-19 lockdown and was reopened on January 25 this year. But it was closed again in April this year amid the second wave of the pandemic. It is also among the few non- medical buildings in the city which were turned into Covid hospitals and is still being used as a vaccination centre.

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“But these activities are now being held in one corner of the ground. So sportspersons have been allowed to use the rest of the space for training and practice sessions,” Dr Sanjay Sinha, director, directorate of sports, culture department, said.

Practice for the games like athletics, basketball, volleyball, Taekwondo, archery, kabaddi, and weightlifting will be allowed there, he added.

“There will be two practice sessions of practice — once in the morning and then in the evening. But the sports associations will have to follow Covid protocols. Also, no outsider will be allowed during the practice sessions,” the sports director said.