Rourkela: The Steel City will soon have two major sports infrastructure catering to various sporting activities.
The work of Birsa Munda multi-purpose stadium and Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium near Hockey Chowk at Panposh is going on at a fast pace to be completed within the deadline.
After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone of Birsa Munda stadium on November 4, 2018, Rourkela Smart City Limited (RSCL) took up the project. Located in the heart of the city, it is being redeveloped over 10.72 acre. The design, prepared by TATA Consulting Engineers Ltd (TCE) to redevelop the existing stadium as a multi-purpose sports complex, encompasses a football stadium of national standard along with provisioning of athletics, swimming and Multi Level Car Parking (MLCP) facility with commercial spaces facilities.
At the centre of the complex, a natural grass field in accordance with international standard and necessary water drainage system would be prepared. The stadium shall have flood light facilities to facilitate night matches.
The main structure in the west will have 2951 seating capacity for general public and VIPs with cover. There will be three more galleries. The north gallery will have 1406 seats, south 1404 seats and east 4779 seats. Around the football ground, an eight-lane synthetic track would be laid for athletics.
It will have an administration office, cafeteria, changing room for players along with gymnasium and other supporting facilities. In the MLCP building, three floors would be used for car parking to accommodate 181 cars, while third and fourth floors will be meant for commercial activities. A swimming pool of national standard (50 meter × 20 meter of 8 lanes) will also be built in the complex.
The Rs 124-crore project is expected to be completed by December, 2021. The URC Construction (P) Ltd, Chennai, which is executing the work, will take care of maintenance for 5 years.
Commissioner of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC), Dibya Jyoti Parida, who is monitoring the construction work, expressed satisfaction with the progress of work. “Despite the disturbances caused by COVID-19 pandemic, we are confident that work would be completed before the scheduled time,” he said.
The concrete work of basement, ground floor and first floor of MLCP and more than 60% of foundation work of galleries have been completed.
Similarly, Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium, coming up on two acre of land, will have three badminton courts of national standard with 350 sitting capacity for spectators. It could be used for table tennis also. Outside the hall a tennis court and volleyball court would also be prepared.
It would be fitted with high quality lighting arrangement and rain harvesting system. Solar panel would be fixed at roof top to make it energy self-sufficient. The construction of Rs. 9.32-crore stadium will be completed by January 2021.
Sanjay Babuta, Secretary of Kalinga Sports Federation said, ” We are eagerly waiting for the day when Birsa Munda Stadium would be opened for practice. It would certainly bring big change in sports culture of the city.”
Speaking in similar vein, Shukru Tanti, kabaddi coach, said, “Due to redevelopment work, our regular practice has been hampered. But once it is completed, we will have better facilities. So I am ready to bear temporary inconvenience.”
Rourkela MLA Sarda Prasad Nayak said, ” Our government had promised to build a major sports facilities at Rourkela. Now the work has begun and soon the sports loving people will have high quality infrastructure here.”
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