The Hindu : Sport / Generalia : Good news for sports lovers

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Tuesday, May 03, 2005

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Sport - Generalia

Good news for sports lovers

Special Correspondent

ALAPPUZHA: There is finally some good news for the sports lovers of this ancient town. Alappuzha, thanks to the initiatives of its Municipal administration, is now all set to shed the dubious distinction of being the lone district headquarters in the State of not having a full-fledged stadium.

Though plans to have a stadium with all modern facilities here have been on the anvil for some years now, the work on it so far have been only progressing at a snail's pace. Since the Alappuzha Municipality, which was entrusted with the completion of the project, has at last acquired the required land to be added to the `Bhattathiri Purayidom' (the identified spot for the stadium in the heart of the town), work is now expected to gain pace within the next few weeks.

Disclosing this to The Hindu here on on Monday, the Alappuzha Municipal chairperson, Ms. Lalitha Somanathan, said the tendering process for the ground filling work was almost complete and an agreement with the identified business firm was expected to be signed within the next few days. "Once the procedure connected with this is completed, we are expecting to commence the work on the project by the second or third week of this month."

The work on the project is to be undertaken in two phases. The first phase will include the completion of the proposed 400m track and the field and the second, the construction of galleries on the three sides of the stadium, a mini pavilion and a shopping complex. The total seating capacity is expected to be around 5,000.

The pavilion will have sufficient amenities for the players and trainers and an administrative complex, besides a VIP seating area for 500. Besides athletics, the stadium will offer playing facilities in football, hockey, volleyball and basketball. The stadium, once completed, would be managed and maintained by a managing committee, already constituted by the District Collector.

Lengthy delay

Officials connected with the project said the lengthy delay in taking up the work on the scheme was due to the difficulties which the Municipality faced in acquiring the additional land to be added to the 6-acre Bhattathiri Purayidom plot. They said the required 69 cents was in the hands of three families and the acquisition has now been completed at a cost of nearly Rs. 43 lakhs.

The earth-filling work itself would be costing the Municipality a further Rs. 35.45 lakhs while the estimates to have the seven-tiered galleries completed is put at Rs. 28 lakhs. The mini pavilion and the work on the track and field is budgeted at Rs. 12.14 lakhs, thus raising the total cost of the project to a little over Rs. 1.18 crores.

Senior sports officials of the district too are happy that their efforts, over the years, to convince the authorities of having a full-fledged stadium here is finally paying off. However, most of them feel that another acre of land would be required if the proposed mini pavilion is to be constructed. This, they feel, could escalate the overall cost of the project further than what is being budgeted now.

But then, none of them are complaining, at least as of now, as the Tourism Minister, K.C. Venugopal, who represents Alappuzha in the Kerala Assembly, has assured them as well as the Municipal authorities that lack of funds would not slow down the completion of this dream project.

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