Bivek Mathur
Jammu, Apr 4: State government as well as Sports council, it seems, are focusing only on city based talent in different sports activities as majority of the sports infrastructures are being constructed within city limits ignoring budding talents in the peripherals.
Much to the amazement is the fact that majority of the new infrastructure is being constructed after a long wait of Jammuites, as the one constructed earlier was either not up to the standard specifications or outlived its life and now when government has given its nod for the construction/upgradation of the infrastructure, its focus is again city-centric ignoring the rural population of even basic sports facilities.
Whether it is renovation of swimming pool at MA stadium Jammu which had earlier developed defects at the cost of Rs. 177.89 lakh, construction of pavilion at Kabadi court at MA Stadium Jammu at the project cost of Rs 40 lakh, proposed construction of indoor stadium at MA Stadium Jammu taken up at the project cost of Rs. 7.00 Crore, construction of skating rink at MA Stadium in place of old skating rink which was not of standard specifications at the project cost of Rs 66 lakh or construction of Pavilion at K K Hakhu Hockey stadium at the project cost of Rs. 130.62 lakh, every structure is within the municipal limit and hence for the aspiring sports talent of peripheries, these infrastructures would be of little use. Similar is the situation for Udhampur district where an indoor hall is being constructed within the Subash Stadium at the cost of Rs. 1 Crore.
Such is the worsening state of affairs in the sports of Jammu and Kashmir that in some cases, it took two decades to start the construction work.
One such case is of K K Hakhu stadium, where the turf was laid in 1996, but the stadium was without pavilion facility for a long time, work for which has been taken up now.
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