In a bid to encourage sportspersons in the district and provide them with state-of-the-art sports infrastructure, a synthetic turf hockey stadium has been developed in Gadag district and the formal inauguration will be held on Sunday.
The turf hockey stadium in Gadag is the first of its kind in North Karnataka and is the result of the initiation taken by district-in-charge Minister H.K. Patil. The playground has been named Mahatma Gandhi Hockey Stadium.
The stadium has been developed under the special component sub-plan and work was initiated at Betageri during the fiscal year 2016-17. In the first phase initially, ₹5 crore was released and subsequently an additional ₹1.05 crore was released. The works included building the pavilion, levelling of the playground, asphalting, chainlink fencing, and electrification.
The second phase of the work was initiated on February 16, 2019, at a cost of ₹3.18 crore which included laying of synthetic turf, drinking water, and other basic amenities. Of this, ₹2 crore has been released and the remaining is yet to be released to the Department of Public Works. The Nirmiti Kendra of Gadag has spent ₹26 lakh for completing the required works before the inauguration. Thus, a total of ₹9.19 crore has been spent on the stadium so far.
Some more works are needed to be taken up at the stadium including renovation of the old building and other infrastructural works for which a ₹2 crore proposal has been submitted to the State government.
Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevappa will dedicate the hockey stadium to the public on Sunday at 4.30 p.m. in the presence of chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation H.K. Patil will preside over the function, while Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports B. Nagendra will be the guest of honour.
Hockey players will be honoured during the inauguration and there will also be a hockey tournament from September 3 to 5 in which various police and railway teams and other sports teams from Hubballi and Bengaluru will participate.
On Sunday, Mr. Nagendra will inaugurate the swimming pool constructed at Nandishwar Nagar in Gadag. Constructed at a cost of R₹1.68 crore, the swimming pool can host semi Olympic-size swimming events.
