*After lapse of one year since funds’ approval for astro-turf, work yet to begin
Goldi Sharma Asgotra
JAMMU, Jan 21: K K Hakku Hockey stadium, the lone Astro-turf hockey stadium in J&K Jammu and Kashmir has been facing official apathy, which could be gauged from the fact that the astro-turf has not been replaced in the last over 21 years forcing the players to play on obsolety turf..
The funds for the replacement of the obsolete turf were approved in the month of February 2019 and the foundation stone for replacing the turf was laid down in September 2019 by the then Advisor to Governor K Vijay Kumar but work for replacement is yet to start.
According to officials, the KK Hakku stadium adjoining Gulshan Ground, had come into existence in the year 1998 while the synthetic turf in the ground was laid down in the year 1999. As per norms of Sports Authority of India (SAI) and according to the experts of Hockey, the synthetic-turf should be replaced with a new one after every seven years.
For the last over 21 years due to some unknown reasons the astro-turf was not replaced by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC) and it was only during the Governorship of SP Malik that a High Power Committee, framed for one time settlement of all languishing projects across the erstwhile State, had been given approval for the change of Astro-turf of KK Hakku Sports Stadium.
Following the approval the then Advisor to Governor K Vijay Kumar had laid down the foundation stone of “Synthetic Hockey Turf at KK Hakku Stadium” in presence of Member Parliament of Jammu-Poonch constituency Jugal Kishore Sharma and two other Advisors of Governor.
“The Advisor to Governor had visited the KK Hakku stadium to inaugurate the “Illumination works” but seizing the opportunity, the JKSC had also laid foundation stone of the “replacing the astro-turf” on September 14, 2019, sources said.
Pleading anonymity, an official of the Engineering Wing of the Council said that a tender for replacement of astro-turf of KK Hakku Hockey stadium to the tune of Rs 5.25 crores was floated recently.
“Four bidders have given their bids for the works after which the work was allotted to the lowest bidder as per norms, but in the meantime, the other bidders who were contenders in the tender, raised objections over the authenticity of the documents furnished by the lowest bidder due to which the work has not been started”, the official said.
Now, the Council has framed a committee for scrutinizing of the documents and on the recommendations of the committee, the final call will be taken, the official said.
“Though the astro-turf would have been replaced thrice in the last 21 years but given the sorry state of affairs, no attention was been paid to the Hockey stadium, which is our national game”, said G S Bakshi, former General Secretary and incumbent member of the Hockey J&K Association, adding, it is not a good sign for the budding players of hockey in Jammu and Kashmir.
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