₹5 crore facelift planned for MCD’s Ambedkar Stadium

The officials said that the civic body invited bids for the stadium revamp on Februrary 19, for the work that is estimated to cost ₹5 crore

New Delhi: The Dr BR Ambedkar Stadium will get an improved facade, new dressing rooms, a cafeteria, upgraded stands and a media centre in a major revamp to be taken up by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, officials aware of the plans said.

Images that show the condition of Dr Ambedkar Stadium on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg on Monday. (Arvind Yadav/HT photo)

The officials said that the civic body invited bids for the stadium revamp on Februrary 19, for the work that is estimated to cost ₹5 crore.

The stadium, which has a capacity to hold 35,000 spectators has hosted major national football tournaments such as the Durand Cup, Subroto Cup and Nehru Cup.

A senior MCD official said that the first phase of this project is likely to cost ₹4.8 crore, and is expected to be completed in six months after the project is awarded to a contractor. “The stadium was last renovated ahead of the 2010 Common Wealth Games. Under the latest plan, we will work on the improvement of the stadium facade along the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. New facilities will be added for players in the form of construction of dressing rooms. The west stands of the seating area are also going to be revamped,” the official said requesting anonymity

The Ambedkar Stadium was earlier known as the Corporation Stadium and used to hold football competitions such as Delhi Football League, DCM Trophy, Subroto Cup and Durand Cup. The stadium has also hosted international football events such as 2007 and 2009 Nehru Cup. It also had the offices of Delhi Soccer Association.

The stadium had last seen a major renovation in 2007 and its rejuvenation was long due, officials said.

During a spot check on Monday, HT saw that several parts of the stadium were indeed in need of repair and maintenance work. Plaster layers on the portions of the main facade and the spectator stands located along the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg were scraping off, and underlying iron bars were exposed to the elements.

The glass windows and railings of the staircases were broken and several entry points were barricaded with iron bars. The toilet block located in the corner section was overflowing and tiles were broken. Sections of the steel railing along the periphery of the footballs ground were missing and covered with ropes.

“Under the beautification project, we will be improve the facade of the stadium, along with redesigning Gate number 4 and 5, which are used by the spectators to enter the facility,” the MCD official added.

According to the project report prepared for the redevelopment work, toilet complexes inside the stadium will be modernised, and the drainage network will be upgraded. “The stadium was also used to host major MCD events such as Bal Diwas, in which thousands of MCD students used to participate. It also earned revenue for the MCD by hosting major tournaments. The improved drainage will help clear the ground faster after rains. The tiled roof sections in the stands will be revamped by using clay Mangalore tiles,” the official added.

MCD planned to hold the Bal Diwas programme in the stadium on February 14,but it was postponed in view of the restrictions in the wake of farmers’ protest. “The program was earlier postponed from November 14 due to very high pollution levels,” the MCD official said. Ambedkar Stadium is the biggest sporting facility owned and managed by MCD. The civic body also manages 52 physical training centres/gyms, 15 swimming pools and five sports complexes.

The MCD official said that the bids will be accepted by February 21, and the work is likely to be awarded by next month. “Once an agency is finalised, they will be provided six months to carry out the work. We are hoping that it will be complete by October-November this year,” official added.