Ludhiana: Rakh Bagh weightlifting centre set for ₹45L facelift

The facility, built in 1987, was last repaired nearly a decade ago; struggles with leaks and worn-out flooring and space issues

The district sports department has prepared a renovation proposal of around ₹45 lakh for the district weightlifting centre near Rakh Bagh, which saw its last repair a decade ago. The facility, built in 1987, has seen years of neglect, with poor infrastructure and water leakage increasingly hampering training at the centre that once produced weightlifters at the state, national and international levels.

The dilapidated ceiling at the weightlifting centre near Rakh Bagh in Ludhiana on Friday. (Manish/HT)

The proposal for the facelift has been submitted to the deputy commissioner’s office for approval. Though the plan is prepared it is yet to receive final approval and is yet to receive clearance.

Run by the District Weightlifting Association, the centre today presents a grim picture, with visible signs of wear and tear across the building. Athletes training at the facility said conditions become particularly difficult during the monsoon, when water leaks through the ceiling, forcing them to halt practice sessions and raising safety concerns.

“The situation gets really bad during the monsoon. Water seeps in from the roof,” said one of the players, pointing to the worn-out flooring that has not been repaired for years. The centre charges a nominal fee of ₹500 for six months from trainees. Association officials said the amount is barely sufficient to meet daily expenses and routine maintenance, leaving no scope for major repairs or structural upgrades.

Parvesh Chander Sharma, general secretary of the association and a Commonwealth Games medallist, said the centre continued to play a key role in grooming young talent despite limited resources. “This centre has produced players who have gone on to compete at state, national and even international levels. We try our best to maintain the equipment with whatever little money we have, but renovation of the building is beyond our capacity,” Sharma said, adding that the last major repair work was carried out nearly 10 years ago.

Officials of the association said the centre urgently requires ceiling and flooring repairs, fresh painting and better utilisation of space. They have proposed merging eight small and congested rooms into four larger halls to make the training area safer and more practical for athletes.

District sports officer Kuldeep Chugh said the department had taken note of the situation after inspecting the facility. “We prepared an estimated budget of around ₹45 to ₹46 lakh for renovation. The proposal has been submitted to the deputy commissioner’s office for approval, which we expect to be cleared in the coming days,” he said.