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Ludhiana: Athletes suffer as civic body misses track relaying deadline
The work order for the project was issued on February 15 and the project was supposed to be completed by August 14
Sports enthusiasts in the city have been left in a lurch as sports activities at Guru Nanak Stadium remain suspended for several months due to the delay in the completion of athletic track relaying project.
Under the Smart City Mission, the project to relay the athletics track was being undertaken at a cost of ₹ 8.21 crore. The work order for the project was issued on February 15 and the project was supposed to be completed by August 14.
Officials from the municipal corporation (MC) have reported that the Guru Nanak Stadium athletic track project has reached the halfway mark, with 50 percent of the work completed. However, the project faced delays due to the rainy season over the past two months.
The groundwork for the athletic track, which will span a distance of 400 metres, has been prepared, including the installation of sewerage drain pipes and the near completion of a rainwater harvesting system. Additionally, sprinklers have been installed on the football ground.
Yet, several tasks remain unfinished, including the completion of the athletic track itself, the installation of interlocking tiles, and the cultivation of grass within the football ground perimeter.
Athletes relocating for practice sessions
The project, which began in March, has caused considerable inconvenience to local sports enthusiasts who have had to relocate their practice sessions to different city grounds.
Ravjot Singh, an athlete, said, “We have been practising at various locations such as SCD Government College and PAU Ground since the stadium’s refurbishment started. Coordinating practice timings with other players on these shared grounds is becoming increasingly challenging.”
Another athlete, Japjot Singh, shared a similar experience, stating, “We have endured hardships for the past two years. The previous track had been damaged since 2019, and since March, the stadium has been under construction. According to the project timeline, it was supposed to be completed in August, but as of now, 50 percent of the work remains pending. I urge the authorities to expedite the process, as athletes are struggling to practice on different grounds with varying schedules.”
Sonu, an athletic coach with the sports department, pointed out, “The old track was installed back in 2001, and synthetic tracks typically have a lifespan of 10 to 12 years. After many years, we are finally getting a new track, but the rainy season has caused delays. Our athletes are practising on different grounds as they prepare for upcoming championships.”
Fresh deadline of December
MC superintending engineer Ranjit Singh addressed the situation, saying, “We anticipate that it will take approximately three more months to complete the project. The rainy season has indeed caused some setbacks, as we require a continuous dry period of seven days to install the track. Most of the things are completed and around 50 percent work is left and we aim to wrap up the project by December.”
