Work on international-standard climbing arena nears completion

Parveen Arora

Karnal, March 3

In a major step towards boosting sports infrastructure and nurturing budding players, the construction work of an international-standard sports climbing arena is underway at a fast pace in Karna Stadium. The authorities believe that the work will be completed in April.

The arena, which will provide world-class facilities to the athletes for training and preparation for international competitions, is being constructed in the first phase of Karna Stadium’s redevelopment under the Smart City project at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore.

The authorities claimed that the arena would be a first-of-its kind facility in north India with four walls – bouldering, lead, speed, and practice — for skill development and performance enhancement.

“The work on the international-standard sport climbing arena is being carried out on a war-footing and it will be completed in April,” said Deputy Commissioner Anish Yadav, who is also the CEO of Karnal Smart City Ltd (KSCL).

The arena is being constructed between an under-construction multipurpose hall and the building of a new stage to utilise the space, he added.

Ramphal, general manager, KSCL, said they were monitoring the quality of four walls, which were being constructed for both training and competition purposes. There would be a spacious landing area to ensure the safety of athletes during training and competitions, he added.

Ramphal said the walls would be equipped with state-of-the-art auto-belay systems and timers, allowing athletes to focus on their technique. Athletes were also eagerly waiting for the completion of the arena.

“Since sport climbing has been included in the Olympics, there is a lot of scope in the game. We are happy that our stadium will have the facility soon. It will help nurture the budding talent of the region,” said Ashok, an athlete.

As the construction work is near completion, the sports authorities and coaches are also enthusiastic about it.

They say it will not only boost the sports infrastructure in the area, but also help build confidence among budding athletes striving for excellence on the global stage.