Nahar stadium upgrade: More facilities raise costs three-fold

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, June 18

The renovation of the Nahar Singh International Cricket Stadium is set to cost dear to the state exchequer. The Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) has submitted a fresh detailed project report (DPR) of the project worth Rs 292 crore. With this, the total project cost is reported to have reached Rs 407 crore, increasing the initial cost by 350 per cent.

Non-functional since 2006

The Nahar Singh International Cricket Stadium, which was opened in 1987, hosted the last international cricket match on March 31, 2006. It has been non-operational since April 2006. It has held a total of eight One-Day International matches and more than 50 domestic circuit matches.

Facilities for more sports proposed

• The first phase of the renovation work included increasing the capacity of the stadium to 40,000 seats with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
• The FMDA has proposed changes in the fresh detailed project report (DPR) — including an increase in overall coverage area 20 acres to 28 acres.
• According to the new report, the stadium complex will also have facilities like a cycle track, football stadium, volleyball, tennis, basketball and badminton courts, besides an international-level synthetic athletic track on the premises.

In 2019, the authorities had drafted a DPR of Rs 115 crore, according to sources in the district administration. The work was initially allotted to the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad, but the slow pace of work and issues connected with funds led to an inordinate delay in and the civic body ended up missing several deadlines. Thus, the renovation project was ultimately transferred to the FMDA.

While the budget sanctioned initially got exhausted, around 40 per cent work was left. Consequently, the project was left idle for the about one-and-a-half year, said an employee of the civic body on condition of anonymity.

He said the authorities concerned had sought additional funds to the tune of Rs 99 crore to start phase two of the project, which included the construction of the Pavilion building. But the work had been halted for several months.

The first phase of the renovation work included increasing the seating capacity of the stadium to 40,000 seats with state-of-the-art infrastructure.

As the project was handed over to the FMDA last year, a fresh DPR was prepared with some changes — including an increase in the overall coverage area from 20 acres to 28 acres.

It is further proposed that the stadium complex will have facilities like a cycle track, football stadium, volleyball, tennis, basketball and badminton courts, besides an international-level synthetic athletic track on the premises, according to the new DPR.

The stadium, which was opened in 1987, hosted the last international cricket match on March 31, 2006. It has been non-operational since April 2006. It has held a total of eight One-Day International matches and more than 50 domestic circuit matches.

FMDA Chief Engineer Ramesh Bagri said, “A DPR of Rs 292 crore is ready and it is likely to be approved in the FMDA Board’s next meeting headed by the Chief Minister.”