SAG puts gujarat sports complex project on hold

While the Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) may have acquired a 25 acre land for a state-level sports complex in Gandhinagar, the government body has been asked to put the project on hold. According to MM Pathan, secretary, SAG, the state government has demanded stalling of selection of a project management agency for the same.

"We are not sure why but the Gujarat government has put the state sports complex project on hold. We were in the process of appointing a consultancy agency to prepare a project management report and to design the complex. However, we have dropped the process for now," said MM Pathan, secretary of SAG. The government body was planning to invest around Rs 26-30 crore for the project which was likely to be completed within three years. According to Pathan, the state-of-the-art complex was proposed to have facilities for both indoor and outdoor games.

"We had invited EOIs from around 15 parties of which we finalised four agencies. We were appointing one of the four agencies. Thereafter, the construction work was supposed to be outsourced to various parties soon," said Pathan.

The complex was likely to feature a 400 metre athletic track, swimming pool, wellodrome for cycling, various playgrounds, and multipurpose indoor hall, among other things.

If constructed, the complex will be utilised to host state-level competitions, apart from providing coaching facilities for sports persons across the state.

Apart from the upcoming state-level sports complex, SAG is setting up district-level sports complexes as well. While 11 of them are on the verge of completion, the body is planning to begin construction in other districts.