HYDERABAD: The State Government has agreed in principle to the proposal of the organisers of the 2007 World Military Games in the city to provide accommodation to 6,000 athletes coming from all over the world for the mega sporting event.

A 13.5-acre site has been identified for the Village near Gachibowli. And, according to informed sources in the Government, the complete modalities about going ahead with the project would be finalised soon since the option of allotting land to a private builder first and asking him to construct the village and give back 40 per cent of the accommodation to the Government after duly selling his ratio as is generally done in a build-develop mode concept is being given a serious thought.

In fact, this was how the 2002 National Games Village was constructed by a private company.

YSR's assurance

The Government has also decided in principle to take up the responsibility of organising the inaugural and the closing ceremonies of the Military Games in a big way costing approximately Rs.50 crores. In all, the expenditure of the Games are being estimated to be around Rs.150 crores.

Significantly, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy assured a high-level delegation of Asian Badminton Confederation headed by it's president Satiyoso, secretary-general V.K. Verma, 2001 All England champion Pullela Gopi Chand that once the village was constructed, accommodation for 40 players would be earmarked for the proposed ABC Development Centre at Gachibowli Complex.

"The only drawback to the magnificent Gachibowl indoor stadium in setting up the Centre is lack of accommodation," according to the ABC chief. Now, with the Chief Minister giving clearance to the proposal, it should be a big boon to badminton lovers.

Government thanked

"The Centre will be operational once the accommodation is handed over to the ABC," Gopi Chand informed The Hindu on Sunday.

"Essentially, this Centre will function three to four months every year when at least two players from each of the Asian countries will train here for three months with coaches sent by the ABC. And once these training sessions start, we will definitely try to utilise their services at my Academy which should be operational by that time," he explained.

Mr. Verma thanked the State Government for the wonderful gesture and said it would go a long way in giving a new face to the sport in the country.

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