Hockey astro turf proposal at Mankapur gets green signal

Stadium to come up at Divisional Sports Complex

By Paritosh Pramanik

FINALLY, there is a good news for hockey lovers of city as well as of entire Vidarbha. The long-cherished dream of city players of displaying their skills on an astro turf is going to be a reality in a couple of years.
After the first-ever Athletics Synthetic Track at Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur, Divisional Commissioner Anup Kumar has okayed the proposal of Hockey Astro Turf, too. The astro turf proposal got green signal during a meeting held on July 5.
A hockey stadium will also be built at the sports complex with Krida Suvidha Nidhi (Sports facilities fund).
“We have okayed the proposal of hockey astro turf at Divisional Sports Complex. A detailed proposal will be forwarded to the Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Pune,” Anup Kumar informed ‘The Hitavada.’
Talking about the hockey stadium he added that the Divisional Sports Complex would be getting Rs 9 crore under the Krida Suvidha Nidhi. “We will use that fund in construction of the stadium.”
The hockey stadium will come up near the synthetic athletics track.
Deputy Director of Sports Subhash Rewatkar said that two acres land near the synthetic track has been marked for hockey astro turf stadium.
“A master plan of the stadium will be prepared and then it will be submitted to the NIT who will build the stadium,” Rewatkar said.
The astro turf can become a reality within two years if the synthetic track work is taken into consideration. The track and related infrastructure came up with a rapid pace once the Devendra Fadnavis Government gave green signal to the development of sports and infrastructure in the city.

PROPOSAL TO BUILD WARM-UP AREA 
FOR ATHLETICS
ON Wednesday, Rewatkar held a meeting with NIT officials and Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, vice-president, Maharashtra Athletics Association and other office-bearers for construction of warm-up area near the synthetic track.
Suryawanshi has requested to construct a 400-metre warm-up track adjacent to the main track. Though paucity of land will be a big factor in fulfilling this demand a 200-metre warm-up area is possible near the synthetic track. “We will try for the best,” Rewatkar assured.