Inaugurated last year, Rs 6-crore stadium in Nurpur awaits regular staff

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, April 10

Notwithstanding the formal inauguration of indoor stadium at Chogan ground in Nurpur by the then Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on June 2 last year, the stadium named after former late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been kept locked, frustrating sports lovers and local players.

Appointment process initiated

The Sports Department has made temporary arrangements by requisitioning the requisite staff here. It has initiated the process of fresh appointments. With the change of government in the state, the process has failed to make any headway. Naresh Guleria, Youth and Sports Officer, Kangra

With the efforts of former Youth Affairs and Sports Minister and local ex-MLA Rakesh Pathania, the previous government had built this pre-fabricated indoor stadium by spending Rs 5.99 crore through Ropeways Transport Development Corporation (RTDC). Apart from the indoor stadium, the RTDC is also laying Rs 7 crore 400-metre synthetic track having six lanes. The state Youth Services and Sports Department authorities had demarcated the land for this track.

The previous government had also started construction of Rs 3.40 crore shopping complex and parking lot alongside the indoor stadium through the Public Works Department. The construction work of the complex is in progress.

The Sports Department had organised the 43rd four-day Senior State Basketball Championship in the stadium in August last year. After this the national-level badminton championship was also organised here.

To run this indoor stadium, the Sports Department had made requisitioned staff temporarily. The department had also initiated the process of fresh appointments. But, with the change of government in the state, the process has failed to make any headway.

Naresh Guleria, Kangra district Youth and Sports Officer, said after conducting interviews of seven employees, including three coaches, their bio data had been forwarded to the state authorities for approval but final sanction was awaited.

“The government should immediately open the stadium by appointing the requisite staff so that it can be used by sports players,” former minister Rakesh Pathania said.

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