Long way to go for Thyagaraj Stadium
The renovated Thyagaraj Sports Complex has a long way to go before the Delhi Commonwealth Games begins October 3. The stadium though ready, still has a lot of landscaping and beautification work pending.
The complex, which is the netball venue for the October 3 to 14 Games, has an indoor hall with two practice courts and one competition court apart from spectator seating for approximately 4,500, a media centre, change rooms and broadcasting centre for telecasting live matches.
However, the areas of concern are the outdoor facilities, the roads outside the stadium and spectator entry.
The complex with an area of 16.5 acres also has an eight-lane 400 metres athletics track and tennis courts (two hard courts and three clay courts). But the work on area designated for high jump and long jump pits along with shot put and discus throw needs are yet to start. The outdoor facilities will be used for training by the athletes, who are likely to arrive at least two weeks prior to the Games.
However, venue commander O.P. Bhatia is of the view that the outdoor facilities will be completed by September 23.
“Our main stadium is complete in all respects. As far as the training facilities are concerned, there is minor work left and it will be ready for use by September 23,” Bhatia said.
“After the stadium was built, we saw that a good amount of area was left unused, so we thought why not make facilities for students and youngsters once the CWG ends and it was then that we thought of laying an athletic track and tennis courts,” Bhatia said.
The planting of flower saplings in and around the venue for beautification has also not started. The road around the stadium is being re-laid and a new wall with CWG motifs is being erected outside the stadium to block the view of a large open drain that acts as an eyesore.
“The work on the roads are being done by the CPWD and the wall is being constructed by the MCD on one side and NDMC on the other. It will be done in two weeks’ time. We will start planting flower and tree saplings in the complex once the ongoing Netball Championships end on July 10,” he said.
Meanwhile, the stadium is designed as a model ‘green stadium’ that uses eco-friendly technologies including power from energy efficient gas turbines and solar batteries, roofs used for rain water harvesting, sewage treatment and fly ash bricks.
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