Government promised sports complex in nine months, transfer delay hits launch

A government-run sports hostel in Nehru Stadium is being revamped into a multi-purpose indoor sports complex but the project is running behind schedule.
Public Works Department (PWD) has not transferred the building to the district sports department yet. However, sports officials said that they were in the last stages of securing it.
Announced in 2017, the indoor sports complex is likely to be inaugurated by the chief minister, according to sources.The work to turn the old, dilapidated hostel, which had been lying vacant since 2015, into a sports complex was supposed to be completed in 2018. “The project was to be completed in eight-nine months after its announcement but the deadline has passed. Now, the work is in the last legs,” said an official.
A spot visit by TOI has revealed that the cobbled pavement in front of the building is still under construction. Masons were found working in the complex, adding the last touches. The toilets and rooms in the complex are almost complete but furnishing has not been done yet. Unhinged doors have been placed against the walls to be fitted later and gates are being fixed at the entry points of the building.
The building has three floors and the ground floor has a big hall with mats and other equipment. This part of the complex is ready but some work has to be done in the other rooms. The second floor has rooms which will be the office spaces while the third floor has four dormitories.
“The centre will be used by gymnastics and taekwondo players. We will organise Wuhsu coaching, as well, but the facility has been dedicated to the former two sports,” said Raj Yadav, the district sports officer (DSO), Gurgaon.
The facility has been constructed at a cost of Rs 2 crore by the PWD. The players who had assembled at the complex on Wednesday said that they had hoped the complex would be ready much earlier. “However, we are very excited and it will be great if the building is handed over to the sports department soon,” said a player who did not wished to be identified.
Sports officials said that the facility would mostly cater to students coming from outside the state. “It’s important that the building is ready soon because it is going to cater to players coming from other states and have provisions for their stay,” said an official.
The DSO said that she had joined recently and didn’t know the exact reasons of why the project had been delayed. “I cannot say anything it because I wasn’t here when this was planned,” said Yadav, adding, “What I do know is that there was humidification in a room and we had to work on that and now the building is ready for transfer. We have met the deputy commissioner and the inauguration of the sports complex will be expedited.”