*BCCI team suggestions deliberately ignored by JKSC
Goldi Sharma
JAMMU, June 20: The facelift of MA Stadium worth Rs 42.17 Crores by the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) under Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP) is not enough for holding international matches. The BCCI appointed team pointed out various shortcomings in the upgradation and renovation of the Stadium during its visit which was deliberately ignored by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC).
In the year of 2019, a team of the BCCI visited MA Stadium where upgradation work was being carried by the NPCC to develop it as an international stadium under the PMDP. The BCCI team had suggested some suggestions as well as also pointed out some shortcomings in the development of the much awaited international stadium and asked the construction company to rectify before its completion but ironically neither the NPCC nor the J&K Sports Council gave heed to their suggestions and inaugurated without a practice turf.
The upgraded and renovated stadium with worth of Rs 43 Crores (Approximately) was inaugurated by then Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu that too without incorporating suggestions from the BCCI team on January 15, 2020 and it was claimed that the facelift of the MA Stadium is fit for hosting the international matches, while the Cricket experts as well as former national level players narrated a different narrative about its development.
Just after the inauguration of the upgraded Stadium, the former BCCI president and then MoS Finance and incumbent Union Sports Minister, Anurag Thakur had visited the J&K under the Government’s outreach programme who had also the vast experiences to develop the international stadiums across the country as executive member of the BCCI especially in development of Dharamshala Cricket Stadium.
The Union Minister visited the MA Stadium on requests of senior as well as former players and he also pointed out some additions that were much needed for holding the international matches including general space of practice for cricketers, practice pitches, net wickets on both sides of the ground and also outside the venue, media boxes and other logistical additions but all of them were never incorporated so far, resulting of it, the stadium is still not fit for holding even Ranji matches, while a huge amount from the Government’s exchequer has been spent on its face-lifting, said an officials of the Council wishing anonymity.
The sources further said that the Council deliberately ignored the suggestions of the BCCI team as well as former Union MoS Finance Minister. “After the visit of the Union Minister, the Council asked the executing agency (NPCC) to add on some facilities, raised by the BCCI as well as the Union Minister. Followed by the Council directive, the executing agency wrote a letter to the Ministry of Youth Affair and Sports for more funds of Rs 6. 20 crores but the Ministry concerned denied it,” said sources.
The executing agency also cited in its letter to the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the above mentioned recommendations were not part of the original DPR. “If the Council/J&K Govt wants to incorporate some more facilities in the stadium then it should pay some more for the said facilities, otherwise it is impossible to change the original DPR,” disclosed sources.
Member Administrator, appointed by the BCCI for monitoring JKCA affair, Retd Brigadier Anil Gupta said that it is a multipurpose stadium where different types of games were organised together but to develop it as a full fledge stadium for holding international matches is still a distant dream. “If someone visits the Stadium and finds that the only playing field developed for holding matches is not in good condition,” he asserted.
“It can be good for the Sports Council but not good for them to even hold a JKCA camp at that playing field,” Brig Anil Gupta said sarcastically.
The callousness on the part of Council can be gauged from this fact that the Council had installed high mast lights inside the stadium for holding day-night matches that too without any alternative electrical system. “Initially, the officials said that the Council is going to invite a tender for installing Gensets but till date not a single generator has been installed,” said an employee while wishing anonymity, adding that some of the high mast lights have gone kaput.
Pertinent to mention here that to boost sports activities in the Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi announced Rs 200 crores package for the development of sports infrastructure in the erstwhile State and announced that the major chunk of allotted money would be spent on two stadium either Bakshi Stadium to develop a international Football stadium or MA Stadium to develop it to host international Cricket matches. “The Bakshi Stadium where work is going in full swing for developing it at international level, while the same was developed at Jammu is not fit even to host a Ranji match,” alleged a former cricketer.
Repeated calls were made to the Secretary Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul but her phone was switched off.
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