The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : More facilities at railway sports complex soon

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Friday, Jun 24, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

More facilities at railway sports complex soon

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Railway Recreation Ground will soon have a new look with plans sanctioned for the hockey astro-turf in addition to the newly-built indoor, multi-purpose, air-conditioned indoor sports complex and the hostel building on its premises in Secunderabad.

“These are part of the plans for the Railway Sports Academy sanctioned to SCR at this venue. And, we are optimistic of finishing the project within a couple of years. The work on the astro-turf will commence during this financial year,” said Pradeep Kumar, president of SCRSA.

Mr. Pradeep reiterated that the Railways were always in the forefront in promoting sports and one of the recent decisions was to hike the daily allowances for the athletes during training. “There is a policy in place for outstanding achievements for all those medalists at the national and international meets by way of cash incentives and out-of-turn promotions,” he explained. “We will soon have a synthetic athletics track at the venue and this should change the contours of Railway athletics itself,” he felt.

Pradeep Kumar said that the sports facilities are strictly for Railway athletes for training and the venues would be available for outsiders for any sports functions or events. Mr. K. Shiva Prasad, general secretary of SCRSA, said on an average SCR spends about Rs. 75 lakhs per annum towards sports-related activities including Rs. 50 lakhs for maintenance of infrastructure and kit allowance to athletes and coaches, Rs. 25 lakhs for procurement of equipment and upgrading existing facilities.

“The whole idea to create international standard infrastructure is to inspire newcomers to emulate the feats of our big names in sports including Arjuna Awardees Neeta Dadwe (kabaddi),P.V. Ramana and V. Ravikanth Reddy (both volleyball), Mithali Raj cricket) and J. J. Shobha (athletics),” Mr. Sambasiva Rao, CPRO, SCR, pointed out.

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