Greater Noida authority likely to open sports complex by Oct 15

GREATER NOIDA: After a delay of more than four years, the Greater Noida authority is likely to open the state-of-the-art integrated sports complex to its members

GREATER NOIDA: After a delay of more than four years, the Greater Noida authority is likely to open the state-of-the-art integrated sports complex to its members by October 15. The move comes after a group of residents, who had submitted their forms for membership nearly eight years ago, recently threatened to stage a protest outside the authority’s office in Sector Knowledge Park-IV.

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The authority will also start issuing membership cards to its members beginning October 15, officials said, adding that new applications for membership will be accepted from January 1 next year.

“The authority has decided to open the integrated sports complex. But in the beginning. only a few facilities will be opened and users will have to follow social distancing norms to contain the spread of Covid-19,” said Shiv Pratap Shukla, officer on special duty, Greater Noida authority.

The 39-acre sports complex in Sector Gamma II was supposed to be opened to the members in August 2016.

According to the officials, in Phase 1, the members can use the facility only for jogging and walking with social distancing rules in place. In second phase beginning November 1, 2020, the members will be allowed to use badminton court, lawn tennis, football ground, basketball and volleyball courts and table tennis. Later, the authority will open the zones meant for other games such shooting range, swimming pool and skating, among others.

The officials said that 487 members, who had submitted their forms eight years ago, will start getting their membership cards now. The authority decided to open the sports complex to members and also issue the cards because it does not want to face a protest, said the officials.

Harendra Bhati, who submitted his form eight years ago and yet to get a card, said, “We met with the Greater Noida authority OSD and told him that if the authority does not issue our cards and continues shutting the doors of the complex for us, then we will start an indefinite protest.”