Jammu district all set for sports revolution
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 16: In a major push towards sports infrastructure development and youth empowerment, Jammu district is poised to get six state-of-the-art indoor stadiums at different locations by the middle of next year, marking one of the most ambitious district-level sports initiatives undertaken so far.
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The project, a unique and forward-looking initiative conceptualized by the Jammu district administration, aims to provide local youth access to quality sporting facilities, nurture hidden talent at the grassroots level and effectively divert young minds away from the deep-rooted menace of drug abuse.
Significantly, work has already commenced on two indoor stadiums-one each at Marh and Akhnoor-while the remaining four are slated to be taken up in a phased manner to ensure completion of all six facilities by the middle of next year, official sources told Excelsior. The foundation stone of the multi-purpose indoor stadium at Marh was recently laid by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
All six proposed indoor stadiums in Jammu district will be replicas of the ultra-modern indoor stadium constructed at Kathua, which was inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor and has since been widely appreciated for its modern design, multipurpose utility and role in promoting sports culture among the youth.
The Kathua stadium has emerged as a benchmark in terms of infrastructure, accessibility and functionality, and the Jammu district administration, headed by Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Minhas, has decided to replicate the same successful model to ensure uniform, high-quality sports infrastructure across the district.
The upcoming indoor stadiums will be equipped with modern amenities and facilities suitable for multiple indoor games, enabling young athletes to train throughout the year irrespective of weather conditions, sources said. Each stadium will have two rifle shooting ranges, badminton courts, and separate areas for judo, taekwondo, karate, boxing and table tennis. Every facility will conform to National Games standards.
Further, each stadium will have a well-equipped library for the general public, particularly senior citizens. Moreover, all facilities will be available to sports enthusiasts free of cost, sources informed. A committee of prominent citizens from the area will manage the affairs of each stadium under the close supervision of the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Tehsildar or Block Development Officer.
For the construction of each stadium on 5 to 6 kanals of State land, the Jammu district administration has entered into an agreement with HDFC Bank under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The administration has provided the design and parameters to the bank for the creation of each facility as per National Games standards.
“On completion of all six stadiums-Marh and Akhnoor within the next three to four months and the remaining by the middle of next year-the administration will be in a position to utilize the infrastructure for hosting National Games as well,” sources said.
They further said that the focus of the administration is on grassroots-level sports development, talent identification and grooming of promising players who can go on to represent the Union Territory and the country at higher platforms. “By decentralising sports infrastructure and bringing facilities closer to rural and semi-urban areas such as Marh and Akhnoor, the administration intends to bridge the urban-rural divide in access to quality sports facilities,” they added.
The initiative is also being viewed as a strategic intervention to combat the growing drug menace by constructively engaging youth in sports and physical activities. “The district administration believes that providing structured avenues for recreation, competition and discipline through sports will play a crucial role in keeping youngsters away from substance abuse and other social evils,” sources said.
Describing the project as part of a larger vision to make sports an integral component of youth-centric development in Jammu district, sources said that with the completion of these six indoor stadiums, Jammu is expected to witness a transformation of its sports ecosystem-encouraging participation, fostering discipline and instilling a sense of purpose among young people. “Once completed, the network of indoor stadiums is likely to position Jammu as a hub of indoor sports in the region,” they added.
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