MUMBAI: Chandigarh is all set to be a beneficiary of the Union Government’s ‘Khelo India’ campaign as it has granted a subsidy to the local government, amounting to Rs 200 million to upgrade the ‘green’ city’s sporting infrastructure.
There are four top infrastructure projects that are said to be built under this campaign, which have been approved by Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore. A new synthetic turf football ground, synthetic athletic track, an indoor, 8-lane, 50 m swimming pool and a multipurpose hall across two of the major sports complexes in the city will be developed, Times of India reports.
Chandigarh’s sports administration department has already written to the local engineering authorities to begin work on the projects and submit a detailed project report (DPR), which will include their estimated costs. The report will then be sent to the Sports Authority of India.
“The administrator, Chandigarh administration, has approved the four infrastructure projects for sports department. The requisite detailed project report to be sent by sports department to the concerned quarters of the government of India requires mandatory rough cost estimates of the said projects and the competent authorities have been directed to get the said rough cost estimate prepared from engineering department. Enclosed are the detailed specifications of the projects as per approved guidelines of Sports Authority of India (SAI) for preparation of the said rough cost estimates along with DPR,” TOI quotes from the letter.
A senior Chandigarh sports administrator told the daily that these projects should be completed by 2020 and that the administration will be executing them as the Central government will be bearing all the costs. Once these projects are done, the administration will be hiring staff in consultation with the SAI and other sports agencies.
“This project of four major sports infrastructure in the city is quite significant as it involves a big financial amount. The entire cost will be borne by the Central Government while we will execute the project. Thus, the entire project will be monitored by them only. We have started an exercise to hire a consultant to prepare the DPR, which will be sent to the Central Government for their approval. After approval, the tender will be floated to start developing the projects by hiring a competent agency. If all goes well, the projects will be completed in next 2 years,” the administrator told TOI.
