MCG sets deadline to remove encroachments from Wazirabad sports complex site

A five-year-old proposal for constructing a sports complex in Wazirabad may finally see progress as the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has set a two-week deadline for officials to remove all encroachments at the project site and barricade its boundaries

A five-year-old proposal for constructing a sports complex in Wazirabad may finally see progress as the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has set a two-week deadline for officials to remove all encroachments at the project site and barricade its boundaries.

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A decision in this regard was taken during a special review meeting held at the MCG’s Sector 34 office on Monday. At the meeting, the status of all MCG projects costing more than ₹5 crore was reviewed.

MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, who attended the meeting through video conferencing, directed civic body officials to ensure that there is no encroachment on any of the designated project sites before allotting any work.

“There are encroachments at the Wazirabad sports stadium project, and I have given officials a two-week deadline to remove them. Further, directions have been also given to demarcate its boundary wall and fast-track the project,” said Singh.

Back in June 2016, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had made the announcement for the construction of a sports stadium in Wazirabad. A year later, the MCG had procured 12 acres of land from the Haryana Sahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) on a 99-year lease for the project.

Until May 2019, the MCG had plans to construct a ₹130-crore archery range and multi-purpose indoor sports complex. However, following a meeting between Yashpal Yadav, the former MCG commissioner, and V Umashankar, the former chief executive officer (CEO) of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), it was decided that a ₹20-crore recreational sports complex was more feasible along the lines of Azad Maidan and Shivaji Park in Mumbai.The complex was supposed to have a ground for football, a jogging-running track for athletes, a skating rink, indoor badminton and a basketball courts. However, this project too did not come to fruition.

In August last year, the MCG decided to construct a ₹200-crore sports complex instead with facilities such as a swimming pool, shooting range, basketball court, kabaddi court, among other such sports. In addition, MCG had also decided to build a hostel for accommodating over 100 male and female athletes.

Overall, 19 projects were reviewed in the meeting, which included the construction of multilevel car park at Kaman Sarai, Sadar Bazar, and the main post office; a cultural and art complex in Sector 53; an auditorium in Bal Bhavan; MCG’s office in Vyapar Sadan; 45 MLD capacity main pumping stations at Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited(GMCBL) depot in Sector 10; roads and stormwater drains in Palam Vihar; and strengthening of existing infrastructure at Sushant Lok 1.

MCG officials informed councillors and Mayor Madhu Azad, who was chairing the review meeting, that the pumping station project at the sector GMCBL bus depot are already complete while all the remaining projects are in progress.

In the meeting, Azad said that all the development works should be expedited, and the works should be completed within the stipulated time period.

“All these big projects should be viewed as achievements of the MCG and the residents of Gurugram should be given an opportunity to avail the same at the earliest. A report on completed projects has also been sought from MCG officials and they have been further directed to not compromise with the quality of work while they are expediting all the concerned projects,” said Azad.

The mayor also directed the officials to install sign boards in the new areas taken over by the MCG.

“For each of the major projects, negligence in development works will not be tolerated. Officers have been directed to ensure that whenever they come to the next review meeting, they submit the report with complete information for each project,” said Azad.

During the meeting, Singh also directed officials to ensure utilities are removed well in advance before any construction commences and to make adequate security arrangements for all large projects. Along with this, instructions were also given to place boards related to the work on every site.