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LUDHIANA: Having produced many Olympians and sportspersons of national and international repute, Ludhiana sports infrastructure needs a revamp.
The city has a major sports infrastructure in Guru Nanak Stadium that houses facilities for various sports like athletics, football, basketball, badminton, table tennis, judo, whereas there is a hockey stadium on PAU campus.
A visit to Guru Nanak Stadium revealed a worn-out track for athletics whereas the main stadium also needed repairs. It was also found that chairs, fans, lights, inside the stadium, especially in badminton hall, were missing. Also the paint of the walls had come off. The wall of the main stadium adjacent to the football ground was broken. The condition of hockey stadium at PAU was no different with water leakage problem and washrooms in bad shape.
“The hockey stadium is not in a proper shape, even when we collect money and spend on it. The sports department, which looks after the stadium, doesn’t have funds. There are outdated water motors which were installed a long time back and there is leakage in pipes. There are electric poles and lights, but no power connection. The washrooms are in worst condition. Our players are forced to cut the grass themselves.
We have met the MC commissioner who had told us that tenders have been issued for its renovation, but we will be happy once the construction starts,” said Jagbir Singh Grewal, who has been national-level hockey player and is caretaker with Malwa Hockey Academy.
Grewal said, “Same is the case with Guru Nanak stadium which needs renovation. The track was installed about 20 years ago, but has not been replaced. Around Rs 3 lakh is needed for the purpose. This is despite the fact Asian Games gold medallist Apinder Singh had practised here. Though the district sports officer wants to carry out changes, he doesn’t have funds to do it.” He said many Olympians including Indian hockey team vice-captain Haramanpreet Singh has trained in Ludhiana, and city resident Hardeep Singh is another Olympian (who played for Indian hockey team in 1984 Olympics).
An athlete in Ludhiana, asking not to be named, said as the track is damaged, athletes are always vulnerable to accidents and injuries. He said the synthetic track has outlived its utility and needs to be replaced without further delay.
The sports department authorities admitted that the sports infrastructure needs revamp.
“The maximum age of a track is 10 years, but it has been there for 20 years now and has gone out of shape. Tenders for a new track have been issued. As far as the building-related issues, chairs at Guru Nanak Stadium are concerned, we have made estimates. Several years ago, repairs were carried out ahead of a national event,” said district sports officer Ravinder Singh. “The hockey stadium also needs repair work. So, we have prepared an estimate under Smart City mission. Sprinkle system, water system with new motors etc will be made as part of the project.”
The city has a major sports infrastructure in Guru Nanak Stadium that houses facilities for various sports like athletics, football, basketball, badminton, table tennis, judo, whereas there is a hockey stadium on PAU campus.
A visit to Guru Nanak Stadium revealed a worn-out track for athletics whereas the main stadium also needed repairs. It was also found that chairs, fans, lights, inside the stadium, especially in badminton hall, were missing. Also the paint of the walls had come off. The wall of the main stadium adjacent to the football ground was broken. The condition of hockey stadium at PAU was no different with water leakage problem and washrooms in bad shape.
“The hockey stadium is not in a proper shape, even when we collect money and spend on it. The sports department, which looks after the stadium, doesn’t have funds. There are outdated water motors which were installed a long time back and there is leakage in pipes. There are electric poles and lights, but no power connection. The washrooms are in worst condition. Our players are forced to cut the grass themselves.
We have met the MC commissioner who had told us that tenders have been issued for its renovation, but we will be happy once the construction starts,” said Jagbir Singh Grewal, who has been national-level hockey player and is caretaker with Malwa Hockey Academy.
Grewal said, “Same is the case with Guru Nanak stadium which needs renovation. The track was installed about 20 years ago, but has not been replaced. Around Rs 3 lakh is needed for the purpose. This is despite the fact Asian Games gold medallist Apinder Singh had practised here. Though the district sports officer wants to carry out changes, he doesn’t have funds to do it.” He said many Olympians including Indian hockey team vice-captain Haramanpreet Singh has trained in Ludhiana, and city resident Hardeep Singh is another Olympian (who played for Indian hockey team in 1984 Olympics).
An athlete in Ludhiana, asking not to be named, said as the track is damaged, athletes are always vulnerable to accidents and injuries. He said the synthetic track has outlived its utility and needs to be replaced without further delay.
The sports department authorities admitted that the sports infrastructure needs revamp.
“The maximum age of a track is 10 years, but it has been there for 20 years now and has gone out of shape. Tenders for a new track have been issued. As far as the building-related issues, chairs at Guru Nanak Stadium are concerned, we have made estimates. Several years ago, repairs were carried out ahead of a national event,” said district sports officer Ravinder Singh. “The hockey stadium also needs repair work. So, we have prepared an estimate under Smart City mission. Sprinkle system, water system with new motors etc will be made as part of the project.”
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