Greater Noida: Fresh tender floated to hire coaches for sports complex

In July this year, the authority issued a tender to select the agency or coach but it did not get the desired response

The Greater Noida authority has revised the terms and conditions for hiring coaches and private agencies, which are interested in offering coaching services for different sports at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik sports complex, and floated a fresh tender on November 26.

Spread across 39 acres, the state-of-the-art sports facility was readied in 2015 but it could not be run by a professional agency. (HT archive)

Spread across 39 acres, the state-of-the-art sports facility was readied in 2015 but it could not be run by a professional agency. In 2015, the Greater Noida authority promised that the facility, which was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹130 crore, will be opened to the public in 2016. However, the authority has not been able to open the facility for public use till now.

The Greater Noida authority will hire an agency or coach for sports, such as cricket, tennis, gym, basket ball, volleyball, skating, shooting, football and boxing. It is likely to appoint an agency to run and look after the maintenance of the swimming pool and four-walled court to be provided for playing squash. Interested coaches and agencies can apply till December 10 to participate in the bidding process.

In July this year, the authority issued a tender to select the agency or coach but it did not get the desired response. It will open technical bids on December 13 to evaluate the eligibility criteria of agencies and coaches.

“We have revised some terms and conditions and issued request for proposal to select an agency and coaches. Hopefully this time, the authority will be able to hire the agency and coaches,” said Narendra Bhooshan, CEO of Greater Noida authority.

According to the revised terms and conditions, an agency which wants to offer coaching services for a particular sport will have to show their balance sheet (financial statements) of the last five years, unlike the previous rule which mandated disclosing financial statements of three years. The condition has been relaxed because the Covid-19 pandemic, which was raging for most of last year as well as this year, has impacted the businesses of sports agencies, said officials.

The authority has also removed the condition that a coach will have to look after the maintenance of a facility used for the particular sport for which he will be offering his services. With these relaxed conditions, the authority hopes to start offering coaching services in a month’s time.

The authority has made available a contact number 0120-2336015, where an interested coach/agency can call and seek more information.

The sports complex has a cricket ground with a seating capacity for 10,000 people, a swimming pool the size of the one used in Olympics, a shooting range, a football ground, a skating rink, a 12-lane bowling area as per the international standards along with other facilities such as a changing room for players, toilets, and a tennis stadium which can accommodate up to 2,200 spectators.

There are four tennis courts, , squash courts, billiards table, two volley ball courts and two basketball courts among other sports facilities. The athletic arena has facilities for all events like 400 m athletic tracks, javelin, shot put, triple jump, long jump, high jump, hammer throw etc. There is also a practice track of 200m where athletes can hone their skills. The stadium has a jogging track of 2km with exercise station at specific distances. Besides, ample green cover has been provided by planting large trees as well as shrubs at strategic points.