Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Khel Stadium in Karnal village in state of neglect

From a distance, the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Khel Stadium in Nigdhu village, around 38 kms from the district headquarters, looks like a place where young dreams should take flight, but step closer, and a picture of sheer neglect unfolds –worn-out sitting stands coated with dust and bushes, poorly maintained sports ground, rust-ridden basketball poles, a pathetic badminton hall with broken windows and doors, and a boundary wall crumbling from two sides. The infrastructure meant to nurture rural sporting talent now silently narrates its own distress.

The previous Congress government had constructed six Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Stadiums in the district—located at Nigdhu, Gagsina, Bastara, Pundrak, Ghoghripur, and Kalri Jagir—to provide modern facilities to budding sportspersons.

The Nigdhu stadium was inaugurated on August 17, 2009 by former MLA Jai Singh Rana, with hopes that rural youth would finally have access to proper training spaces. However, lack of care and maintenance dashed these hopes.

The deaths of two basketball players during practice sessions in Rohtak and Bahadurgarh recently shifted public attention to the condition of sports infrastructure in rural Haryana. Questions are now being raised about whether these stadiums—built with lakhs of rupees—are truly safe or even usable.

The Nigdhu stadium stands as a stark reminder of what neglect can do. Lakhs were spent to develop it, yet today the majority of facilities lie in a shambles, forcing aspiring sportspersons to take long journeys to district headquarters or private grounds to continue their training. For many young athletes, this neglect is not just an inconvenience, but it is a barrier to progress. “We have the talent, but without proper facilities, how can we compete,” said a local athlete.

Missing or broken equipment, uneven fields, lack of coaches and poor safety standards are hampering their preparations for district and state-level competitions, he added.

Residents say it is high time the administration takes notice. Vinay Kumar, a resident of Nigdhu, stressed the need for immediate revival. “The government must uplift the sports infrastructure to promote sports in the rural areas. Coaches should be appointed for at least the major sports,” he added.

As per the sources, the situation is similar in other villages. Be it Ghoghripur or Gagsina, almost all stadiums are awaiting repair work and have identical stories of neglect.

However, the authorities claim that the budget has been transferred to PWD (B&R). District Sports Officer Rajbir Singh Ranga confirmed that a budget of Rs 1,20,78,215 had been transferred to PWD (B&R) for the renovation and maintenance of all six rural stadiums. A sum of Rs 19.49 lakh for Gagsina stadium, Rs 27.61 for Bastara stadium, Rs 14.76 lakh for Pundrak, Rs 20.83 lakh for Nigdhu stadium, Rs 12.94 lakh for Ghoghripur stadium, and Rs 25.11 for Kalri Jagir stadium.

“The PWD has started maintenance work on one stadium, and work on others will begin soon,” the DSO added. Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh said he had directed the DSO to ensure that all stadiums had complete facilities.

“The repair work should be done at the earliest with ensured quality. Sports nurseries must be properly functional in both urban and rural areas,” the DC asserted.