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Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated a state-of-the-art hockey stadium here at the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex today, thus providing a major boost to the sport in Odisha. He also unveiled plaques for three new infrastructure projects, which include a multi-purpose indoor stadium, synthetic surface for the football round and horticultural development inside the Kalinga Stadium Complex.
Two short-duration exhibition matches, involving trainees of Panpost Sports Hostel, Rourkela and SAI SAG Centre, Sundargarh, took place on the occasion. The 19-member Odisha team was felicitated with a cash prize of Rs 5,000 each for winning the title in the Hockey India Sub-junior Boys National Championship at Rohtak, Haryana two months ago.
Sports Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi, hockey Olympian-turned Rajya Sabha Member Dilip Kumar Tirkey, local MP Prasanna Kumar Patsani, local MLAs Bhagirathi Badajena, Bijay Mohanty, Ashok Panda, city mayor Ananta Narayan Jana and Hockey Odisha secretary Pratap Satpathy were present in the function.
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SYNTHETIC TURF FOR HOCKEY: The hockey stadium, featuring synthetic surface, two spectator stands with a total capacity of 6,000, automatic sprinkler system, players` lounge, changing rooms, media room and dope testing room, has been executed through Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha (IDCO) at cost of Rs 19.94 crore.
The hockey stadium is the first of its kind in coastal Odisha and the second overall in the state _ the first being the Biju Patnaik Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. Government of India has provided a financial assistance of Rs 5 crores for this stadium under the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS). The balance amount has been by state government with support from Odisha Mining Corporation, MP LAD Fund and Special Problem Fund. The stadium is expected to have floodlights by the end of the year.
The blue and pink synthetic surface has been laid by German-based Polytan company at cost of US $ 4,48,000. The first of its type in the country, the artificial surface was introduced at the 2012 London Olympics.
As regards the synthetic surface, Odisha now has five of it at three places and three of these are meant for practice only. Two such surfaces, including a new one, belong to Government Sports Hostel at Panposh in Rourkela and the third one is located at SAI Training Centre in Sundargarh. The first one at Panposh hostel lasted nearly 14 years, producing around 20 internationals before it was replaced in 2006-07. The second one, laid adjacent to the first by Polytan, is scheduled to be unveiled soon.
SYNTHETIC SURFACE FOR FOOTBALL: The estimated cost of the project is Rs 5.74 crores. The Union Government has sanctioned a financial assistance of Rs 4.5 crores under USI Scheme. The remaining amount of Rs 1.24 crores will be met by the state government. IDCO, the executing agency, has issued expression of interest to award the work to a FIFA accreditated company.
INDOOR STADIUM: The proposed indoor stadium would have facilities for badminton, basketball, handball, gymnastics weightlifting, wrestling along with changing rooms, conditioning hall, sauna, spa and physiotherapy. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 17.36 crores. The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 6 crores and the remaining amount of Rs 11.36 crores will be sourced by the state government on its own initiative.The construction work has been awarded to PWD and expression of interest has been issued for architectural design.
HORTICULTURAL PROJECT: The state government has sanctioned Rs 4.41 crores for landscaping of the Kalinga Stadium though Odisha Horticulture Development Society. The project includes provision for topiary, waterfall, fountain, sculptures, development of irrigation system etc apart from landscaping.
INORDINATE DELAY: All these infrastructure projects have shown a rosy picture for the promotion of sports in Odisha. But the important questions are when the project work will be completed and how best these can be used. The state government took more than six years to construct the hockey stadium and for the new projects, the authorities have not indicated any time-limit for the completion of these.
HIL MATCHES IN BHUBANESWAR: Providing a double delight for hockey fraternity of Odisha, Pratap Satpathy, the secretary of Hockey Odisha on Monday announced that the new hockey stadium here at Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex would be one of the venues for the second edition of the Hockey India League, scheduled to take place next year from January 13 to February 23.
``Hockey India has accepted our proposal and at least six matches of HIL are confirmed to be played here. A new franchise from Odisha will also join the second edition. Negotiations are on to get the new franchise from within the state,`` disclosed Satpathy on the sideline of the inauguration function of the synthetic-turf hockey stadium.
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TOP: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurates the hockey stadium in Bhubaneswar on July 29, 2013.
RIGHT: Frontal view of the new hockey stadium in Bhubaneswar on July 29, 2013.
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