No relief for swimmers in Ludhiana as winter approaches

In the absence of indoor swimming pools in Ludhiana, swimmers have to move out of district

Despite the ministry of home affairs allowing swimming pools to reopen from October 15, athletes from Ludhiana have to move out of the district for practice during the winters as there are no indoor swimming pools here.

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The district sports department holds training for swimmers between April 1 to mid-October, following which swimming pools are shut down ahead of the winters. In the absence of indoor swimming pools in Ludhiana, swimmers have to move out of district.

Balraj Sharma, general secretary of Punjab Swimming Association, said, “We had written to the ministry to reopen the swimming pools earlier, but they have granted permission now, when majority of the pools shut down as the temperature starts dipping. The swimmers will have to move to other district and states where there are indoor swimming pools so they can practice for next year’s competitions.”

Due to the Covid lockdown imposed at the end of March, swimmers were unable to attend training sessions in summers this year.

To provide swimming facilities round the year, an all-weather indoor swimming pool will be established by the municipal corporation in Ragh Bagh. Tenders for the project were floated in July.