12 city pools all set to reopen from April 1

Come April 1, the UT Sports Department will reopen all 12 swimming pools in the city for professionals as well as recreational swimmers. A membership drive will start soon after the department deputes officials at these pools.

A meeting is expected to be held this week and the posting of officials will be announced officially early next week.

The department is the only government body of the entire region responsible for managing 12 swimming pools. While only one pool was operational in the winter season, all others will be made functional for the summer session. Sources claimed the department was most likely to hire extra manpower for running the pools and the process to appoint new coaches is almost complete.

Last year, nearly 20 officials were assigned the task of running these centres. The pools are located at the Lake Sports Complex, Sector 23 (all-weather and nursery facilities), Mani Majra complex, Sector 8, 27, 34, 38, 39, 43, 50 and 56. “The pools will be open early next month, and soon the officials will be appointed at these centres. All pools will be operational and the process of tender allotment for managing these centres as well as making purchases has started,” said Sorabh Kumar Arora, Director Sports.

These pools will be open for the same hours as the previous year. During the summers, recreational swimmers outnumber professionals at these pools. Despite opening the pools for six hours, the department sometimes faces the wrath of users demanding for extended hours. Process to fill a majority of the pools has started as the facilities were closed during the winter season.

Online payment

In a first, users will have to submit the fee online. After downloading the form, they will have to personally take the approval of the officials deputed at the respective pools and complete the registration process by paying fee. Last December, UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had launched a new online portal for the membership of various sports complexes under the department. The portal simplified the procedure for obtaining membership of complexes in Chandigarh with minimal human interface. Managers/coaches at sports complexes will check the credentials of visitors by scanning QR codes on the membership card. Fee payment for obtaining the membership of a centre will be available through digital modes such as UPI, netbanking, debit card, credit card and other modes.

Earlier, after getting approval from the respective officials, applicants had to queue up at the library of the Sector 42 Sports Complex to submit fee. Only the membership of the Lake Sports Complex facility can be obtained directly from the club.

No Olympic-size facility

Despite having 12 swimming pools, none is a full-fledged 50m Olympic-size facility. In January, land measuring about 20 acres was earmarked at the Sector 42 Sports Complex for a multipurpose indoor sports hall and an Olympic-size swimming pool. The city has only one 50m full-size (open) pool at Panjab University to train youngsters. The membership for the same can be obtained from the Directorate of Sports, Panjab University. Of the 12 pools, at least half are ‘kiddies’ facilities with a maximum of 4ft depth.

Approx user fee (Except for Lake Sports Complex)

All-weather swimming pool, Sector 23

Student: Rs 1,800 (6 months)

Player/recreational swimmers: Rs 3,500

(6 months)

Other complexes

Student: Rs 1,500 (6 months)

Player: Rs 3,000 (6 months)

Recreational swimmers: Rs 3,300 (6 months)