The Hindu : New Delhi News : Talkatora Stadium to be closed for facelift

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 25, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Talkatora Stadium to be closed for facelift

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: To refurbish the Talkatora Stadium here for the Commonwealth Games-2010, the New Delhi Municipal Council will be temporarily closing the stadium from this coming September 5. It will reopen in December 2009, the deadline for completion of the project.

“We plan to hand over the stadium to the Commonwealth Federation by December 2009, well before the start of the Commonwealth Games,” said an NDMC official.

Boxing venue

Proposed to be the venue for boxing matches during the Games, the NDMC’s scope of work at the stadium includes construction of a state-of-the-art boxing ring, a projection screen enabling larger than life viewing of the game, powerful lighting and retractable seats around the ring. In addition, the NDMC plans to create new spaces including a warm up area for the athletes.

The project also envisages a traffic segregation system through public entries and independent parking to cater to the large entourage of players, media and VIPs slated to attend the Games. An additional block with underground parking is also proposed to be constructed at the stadium.

Disabled-friendly

Not stopping at that, NDMC plans to make the Talkatora complex more disabled-friendly and environment-friendly. There will be ramps along the approach pathways while a symbolic forest will be created along the walkway.

Along with the Talkatora Stadium, a similar up-gradation plan for improving the facilities for the visitors is being undertaken at the Shivaji Stadium too. The NDMC emphasis will be on not just development of these stadiums as world class sporting arenas but also on giving their dilapidated facade a much needed facelift.

Both stadiums, built in 1971, were last renovated in 1982 for the Asian Games.

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