Madikeri: A synthetic surface will be laid at the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Stadium here by June 2006, Sports Authority of India Executive Director (Teams and Infrastructure) M.P. Ganesh said here on Tuesday.

He was inspecting the stadium site, off Race Course Road here along with Commissioner Youth Services and Sports K.C. Ramamurthy.

SAI allocation

Mr. Ganesh told presspersons that SAI had sanctioned Rs. 2.25 crores for laying a synthetic surface.

The type of turf to be laid will be the one available at the Doha Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games or the proposed type at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The SAI has entrusted the work to Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

Of Rs. 2.25 crores, Rs. 70 lakhs will be utilised to do up the base at the ground, including raising the ground level to suit the artificial turf, he said.

Sports hostel

Mr. Ganesh said Rs. 1.26 crores has been released to the CPWD to complete the SAI hostel for girls at the proposed stadium and to develop the ground before laying the artificial turf.

SAI Superintending Engineer Adarsh Kumar said Rs. 68 lakhs will be utilised for completing the hostel building and the rest for developing the ground.

The work proposed includes building drains, retaining wall, creating water facilities such as open wells, tube wells and sumps and laying water pipes and electricity work.

Hostel building

The CPWD will start the work in the first week of February. The hostel building will be completed as per the old blueprint. The CPWD will then take up work relating to the ground for laying the synthetic turf.

The project will be completed by June before the onset of monsoon in Kodagu, said Manikyavasagam, Superintending Engineer, CPWD, Mysore Circle.

A meeting was held at the office of Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav.

Mr. Yadav and Mr. Ramamurthy suggested that a committee comprising the former and current presidents of the Coorg Hockey Association (CHA), Subhash Muthanna and Mohan Aiyappa respectively, District Youth Service Officer and the SAI in-charge, should interact with the CPWD team at the construction site once a month.

Land acquisition

Mr. Yadav said he would make enquiries with the concerned to secure 1.30 acres of land adjoining the stadium land (stadium land measures 5.49 acres).

A cheque for Rs. 83.76 lakhs (part of Rs. 1.26 crore) was handed over to Mr. Manikyavasagam on the occasion.

Former hockey internationals from Kodagu M.D. Muthappa, P.E. Kalaiah, Mandepanda Monnappa, Mohan Aiyappa, Subhash Muthanna, Col. A.E. Ganapathi, SAI in-charge Prabhakar and District Youth Service officer Suresh Biddappa were present.

District stadium

Mr. Ramamurthy said the Government intended to develop the stadiums in taluk centres on priority and take up the construction of stadiums in the newly created districts.

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