Preparations In Full Swing For Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup

Bhubaneswar: Preparation for ensuing Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup -2018 has picked up.

Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on Monday reviewed the progress of work the in fifth executive committee meeting at State Secretariat here on Monday.

Sports and Youth Services Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev presented the updates and outlined the issues for discussion.

Taking a project-wise review of the progress, Padhi asked IDCO and the Works department to complete the infrastructural works by September, keeping space for other works to be finished in time.

The proposal for organising a city festival during the World Cup was discussed and approved in the meeting. It will include international food festival, story telling festival and art and craft festival.

The Chief Secretary stressed the need to organise qualitative events tinged with Odishan cultural flavour.

In addition to existing two committees, seven other committees were finalised to manage various aspects of this grand event.

The existing committees are Governing Body under the chairmanship of Sports and Youth Services Minister and Executive committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary.

Seven other committees finalised in the meeting included Accommodation, Catering and Transportation Committee under chairmanship of Secretary Tourism, Ceremonies Committee under Development Commissioner, Reception Committee under Municipal Commissioner, BMC, Security Committee under joint chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Director General of Police, Stadium Committee under Secretary, Sports and youth Services, City Infrastructure Development and Beautification Committee under Chief Secretary and City Festival and Branding Committee under the chairmanship of Development Commissioner.

The reconstruction of the swimming complex inside the stadium has been completed and it will soon be given the finishing touches. The construction of new galleries and expansion of existing galleries for enhancing the sitting capacity of the stadium have been expedited. Repair of shock-pad pitch has been completed. Target was set to complete lying of new turfs in the first fortnight of July before the pitch certification exercise.

City Infrastructure development and beautification works for the prestigious international event have been put on fast track. It has been decided to bring in 50 standard AC and 50 non-AC buses under City Bus Modernisation plan. The projects for renovation and construction of bus depots at Patrapada, Patia and Pokhariput have also been finalised.

Wi-Fi network coverage will be provided at all priority corridors with 75 locations and 300 access points before the World Cup. It has also been decided to set up additional roadside urinals and public toilets. So far, BMC has already constructed 60 public toilets and 50 hybrid toilets across the city. It was decided to construct 60 more public toilets and 100 urinals.

The World Cup matches would start from November 28 to December 16. Two matches would be played a day from 5.00 pm onwards.

Quarter final would be played on December 12 and 13. Semi-final and final matches have been scheduled for December 15 and 16 respectively. Champion teams from 16 countries would participate.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Asit Kumar Tripathy , Director General police Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma, Principal Secretary Finance  Tuhin Kanta Pandey and Secretary Handloom and Textiles Subha Sharma were present.