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Completion of Berhampur stadium in sight

Staff Reporter

High-level defence team to visit city next month

BERHAMPUR: A high-level team from the Defence Ministry will visit the city in a month to prepare a report on the possibility of handing over some defence land to help complete the Berhampur stadium.

Berhampur MP and Union Minister of State for Rural Development Chandrasekhar Sahu held discussions with Union Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju over the issue on Friday in New Delhi.

Speaking to The Hindu from New Delhi, Mr. Sahu informed that top defence officials looking after the assets around the country also took part in the discussions.

At the meeting, the Ministry decided to send a high-level committee to Berhampur. It would collect data from local sports personalities, district administration and NCC officials regarding transfer of defence land inside the city for completion of the stadium. The report filed by the committee would be discussed at the next meeting, Mr. Sahu said.

Differences over payment of Rs. 88 lakhs to the Defence Department by the government left the stadium works unfinished even after 18 years of its inauguration. The Defence Ministry owns a portion of 9.183 acres of the 17.68 acres earmarked for the stadium- cum-sport complex. On this land, the Ministry had residential quarters of NCC officials. On September 30, 2005, the Ministry agreed to vacate the land in lieu of same extent of land in Berhampur municipal area and payment of Rs. 88 lakh for the assets.

The government agreed to provide 9.183 acres of land at Ambapua area of the city. But it did not agree on payment of money for the assents of the Ministry in the stadium area.

The stadium has three galleries, two basketball courts, two dressing rooms, a volleyball court, a soccer and athletic field. On completion, it would have two more galleries, a swimming pool, gymnasium and other facilities.

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