Although the 75th Junior National Basketball Championship is set to begin on Tuesday, the newly built indoor basketball courts at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana are still undergoing last-minute construction.
The indoor courts, part of the Smart City Mission, were supposed to be completed months ago but have already missed several deadlines. The continuous heavy rainfall has further delayed the final touches, causing water seepage through the ceiling of the new basketball courts.
Punjab Basketball Association general secretary Teja Singh Dhaliwal acknowledged the leakage and said they have put up waterproof tenting to prevent damage to the court floor.
Dhaliwal also added that the old court, which will also host matches, is facing greater issues due to rain compared to the new court. “Nothing will stop this championship,” he asserted, adding that arrangements were being made to ensure play continues smoothly.
The teams from across the country have already begun arriving at the stadium. The championship, which is scheduled to be held from September 2 to 9, is the first event to be played in the new courts. The tournament will feature 58 teams, 31 men’s and 27 women’s, who will compete in 160 matches over the week-long event. The stadium has been equipped with two full-size courts, designed for simultaneous play and modern amenities for players and spectators alike.
District sports officer Kuldeep Chugh said workers were now working round-the-clock. “We have instructed them to speed up the final touches. To counter the impact of rain, we are coordinating with the corporation and getting full support. Lodging facilities have been arranged, and buses will ferry teams after meals at the stadium, ensuring no one is left stranded in the rain,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}District sports officer Kuldeep Chugh said workers were now working round-the-clock. “We have instructed them to speed up the final touches. To counter the impact of rain, we are coordinating with the corporation and getting full support. Lodging facilities have been arranged, and buses will ferry teams after meals at the stadium, ensuring no one is left stranded in the rain,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The project timeline has been stretched significantly, from June to December 2024 to March to May 2025, and later spilled over to July. In March this year, Ludhiana municipal corporation imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on the contractor for the sluggish pace of work.
The project had also drawn political attention in January when Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu rebuked the civic body for the repeated delays. Officials earlier cited the installation of maple wood flooring as one of the biggest reasons behind the holdup, saying it required more time than expected.