Una hockey stadium wall falls ahead of inspection

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Una, March 2

The retaining wall of the hockey stadium in Una collapsed today, just hours before an expert committee set up by the Himachal Government was to arrive for inspecting the Astroturf.

A portion of the playing area in the stadium that has come up at a cost of Rs 4 crore was also damaged. The rubble fell on the Astroturf, damaging the goal post on one side. The accident has rendered the stadium unfit for use for at least four months.

The incident has cast doubts regarding the quality and design of the retaining wall that was constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD). Meanwhile, the expert committee formed by the state government and headed by joint director (sports) Suman Rawat today visited the stadium.

Deepak Thakur, an international-level hockey player, and Bhupinder Singh, a former SAI hockey coach, inspected the Astroturf. The experts said Astroturf stadiums were usually constructed using 23 sheets of Astroturf that extend from one end to the other. But in Una, small Astroturf pieces had been joined in violation of the norms.