Barren land in Karnal turned into mini sports complex in 9 months

Parveen Arora

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Tribune News Service

Karnal, September 2

A barren land in Gapuwala Bagh in Ward 14 on Hansi road, which had turned into a dumping ground for garbage, has now been transformed into a mini sports complex in nine months under the Smart City project.

To be handed over to sports Dept

The work on hockey ground, volleyball court, open air gym and a jogging track is almost on the verge of completion. It is expected that in a week, it will be completed and handed over to the Sports Department, which will further appoint coaches to facilitate budding sportspersons in the vicinity.

Facility to hone youngsters’ talent

This complex will give us better opportunity to nurture our talent in sports. Kamal, resident

Was cause of concern for residents

Under the Smart City project, we took this land which had become a dumping ground and was a cause of concern for residents living there. In coming days, the lush green hockey ground and volleyball court will welcome budding sportspersons. — Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy commissioner-cum-ceo, Karnal Smart City ltd

The work on hockey ground, volleyball court, open air gym and a jogging track is almost on the verge of completion. It is expected that in a week, it will be completed and handed over to the Sports Department, which will further appoint coaches to facilitate budding sportspersons in the vicinity.

“Under the Smart City project, we took this land which had become a dumping ground and was a cause of concern for residents living there. In coming days, the lush green hockey ground and volleyball court will welcome budding sportspersons,” said Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner-cum-CEO- Karnal Smart City Ltd.

“We will hand it over to the Sports Department for training sportspersons,” he added.

The project costing around Rs 94 lakh was started on January 25, 2021 and the deadline was April 24, but later it was extended to September 15 owing to Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.

The grass work is being done on the hockey ground, while the erecting of goal-post will be completed in a couple of days, the CEO maintained.

The base of the volleyball court has been completed and the net along with poles are expected to be erected this week, he added.

Hi-mast lights have been erected, while the work on jogging track around the ground is nearing completion. It will be a mud-jogging track to prevent any injury to sportspersons. An open gym is also being set up which is expected to be completed in a week, Yadav said.

Mayor Renu Bala Gupta called it the best utilisation of barren space and said it was a temporary park, which was turned into a garbage dumping site. The people of the area raised the issue with her, and the work was taken up under the Smart City project. Now, the sportspersons in the vicinity will have a sports complex.

“We are thankful to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for giving the project to this ward,” she added.

The residents are also elated with the transformation. Kamal, a resident of the area, said this complex would give them better opportunity to nurture their talent in sports.