Chandigarh: Sector 18 hockey stadium to get artificial turf

Tribune News Service

Deepankar Sharda

Chandigarh, October 4

The UT Sports Department will soon get its second hockey artificial synthetic turf at the Sector 18 stadium, which is one of the oldest coaching centres of the city.

The primary process of completing the paperwork has been completed by the Sports Department and the Engineering Department has now been given the assignment for procuring the turf. This will be the department’s second and city’s third full-fledged hockey turf, after the already existed at the Sector 42 Sports Complex (under sports department) and the one at Panjab University campus (under PU).

After laying of this turf, female players of state-run Chandigarh Hockey Academy (CHA) will be coached at the Sector 18 centre. “All work pertaining to approvals and submitting specifications has been completed. The Engineering Department will now initiate the proceedings at their end. We are likely to get this new turf within six months,” said a top official of the Sports Department seeking anonymity.

The Sector 18 centre is one of the oldest coaching centres of Chandigarh. The stadium was constructed in 1960 over four acres and has the capacity to host around 1,000 spectators. The field has hosted important tournaments, including All India Gurmeet Memorial Hockey, National Women Hockey (1989) and All India Invitation Hockey Tournament. Hockey experts claimed that Canadian and England clubs have also played friendly matches here.

Post 2015, a six-a-side hockey synthetic field was also introduced for female players to practise. “This will be a great boost for youngsters. The Sector 42 stadium is usually occupied by players of the state-run academies. This new turf should be made available for trainees of schools and colleges,” said Charanjit Kaur, a hockey player.

Jaspreet Kaur, another player added: “It will be a great initiative in terms of conducting championship here. In absence of an artificial field art Sector 18, all major championships are being conducted at the Sector 42. Also, various camps of professional teams are being conducted at Sector 42.”

Sources claimed that the turf would be laid as per international standards to host state and national championships in the near future.

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