All weather swimming pool at MA Stadium a distant dream
Goldi Sharma Asgotra
JAMMU, Mar 4: Developing the already existing swimming pool inside MA Stadium premises into an all weather pool is still a distant dream for the swimmers as since its establishment in the year 1993, it is still lacking all basic requisite facilities viz-a-viz heating system, starting blocks and some other. Moreover the pool is still an open pool and authorities have failed to make it indoor after the lapse of 27 years from its establishment.
The public swimming pool inside MA Stadium premises was established and inaugurated by the then Governor of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, KV Krishna Rao on April 21, 1993. Since then the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC) has been looking after its affairs but in the last over 27 years, it has failed to install heating system to make it all weather swimming pool. Due to absence of heating facilities, the pool remains out of bounds for over six months for the swimmers.
“Every year the pool gets closed in the first week of October and reopened for swimmers in the month of April. The closure for over six months deprive the budding players as well as aspirants of the National and International competitions to avail the facility for regular practices”, said a coach wishing anonymity.
He further said that the Union Government had recently released huge amount for the purchase of equipments for the International Water Sports games, “Kayaaing Canoning”, but it has failed to provide basic swimming equipments such as Kickboard, Flipper aids and Hand paddles as well as pool-boys which is must for swimming players.
“In this regard, repeated reminders were sent to the JKSC but for no avail”, he alleged.
An official of the JKSC informed Excelsior that the proposal of the indoor swimming pool was put forward by the JKSC before the start of renovation works in the year 2014 so that the players could continue to do practices in all weathers.
“During the inauguration ceremony of the renovated Swimming Pool by the then Youth Services and Sports Minister, Raman Bhalla on July 18, 2014, he had announced that the pool would soon get its indoor hall but nothing has happened in the last five years”, he added.
Former Governor of erstwhile State, Satya Pal Malik had taken a decision to make the all weather swimming pool. Malik had directed the High Powered Committee to put the project of providing indoor facilities to the swimming pool at MA Stadium in languishing project. The High Level Committee in its meeting on February 25, 2019 had approved the project named as “Construction of all weather swimming pool and allied component at MA Stadium Jammu.”
The final approved cost of the project was Rs 5.30 Crores and the High Level Committee had approved Rs. 3.50 crores as balance amount required for the project. The timeline for completion of the project was August 2019 but the executing agency has so far failed to start the construction of its indoor hall.
When contacted to JKSC Secretary , Nassem Javaid Choudhary said that the work got delayed due to the tender process which could not be finalised within timeline. Now the tender has been matured and work of the pool is allotted to a Jammu based contractor.
“Hopefully by the end of this financial year, the construction work will be completed and thereafter, the pool will be thrown open for the all weather activities”, said Secretary.
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