12 years on, Doda stadium project yet to complete

Ranjit Thakur

Doda, February 14

The construction work on the Outdoor Sports Stadium here has not been completed even 12 years after it started due to lack of funds.

The foundation of the stadium was laid in 2006 by the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, but the project kept on hanging fire due to the fund crunch. “There is no toilet, no pavilion and no dressing room in the stadium,” said Sunil, a local youth.

“Every year 60-70 club teams from all over the country take part in the Gufran Memorial Cricket Tournament but due to the lack of grass in the outfield, many players get injured while fielding. Due to the uneven bounce and dust, players face great hardships. However, the government has never paid any attention to the problems,” a young player said.

“Doda is full of talent and we also want to play for the state and country but under such conditions, extraordinary performance cannot be expected,” he added. “The sports stadium was planned in 1972 but unfortunately different governments in all these years never paid any attention to it. Some work was done at the time of Azad but since then, the project is pending,” said Ishtaq Ahmed Dev, a local resident.

Manzoor Ahmed, founder, Young Star Cricket Club, Doda, said, “We want proper facilities, such as turf, dressing rooms, toilets, etc. so that national and international players do not face hardships.”

“Pavilion, office rooms, toilets, parking, footpath work is pending at the outdoor stadium due to the fund crunch. The government is to release Rs 1.54 crore approximately and as soon we get the money, we will restart the work,” said Parshotam Kumar Varma, Assistant Executive Engineer, Jammu and Kashmir Project Corporation Company.