Taluk stadium still elusive for T Narasipura as land hunt drags on

Mysuru: T Narasipura taluk, one of the oldest in the state, continues to remain without a taluk-level stadium, despite the state govt sanctioning Rs 6 crore for the facility.The taluk remains underserved even though T Narasipura town falls under Varuna Assembly constituency represented by chief minister Siddaramaiah, while the T Narasipura constituency is represented by district minister HC Mahadevappa.The long-pending project has failed to take off due to difficulties in securing suitable land. A five-acre site identified earlier within the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) factory premises has now been returned to the corporation, forcing the district administration to restart the process of locating an alternative site.The KSIC land was earlier considered almost final for the stadium. However, objections and interventions from various quarters led to the proposal being dropped.Officials have since identified a couple of alternative sites. However, the project can proceed only after the land is formally transferred to department of youth empowerment and sports (DYES)."The search for suitable land is ongoing. Once the district administration hands over the required land for the stadium, we will proceed with the next steps," Bhaskar Nayak, assistant director of DYES, told TOI.It may be noted that the state government has directed the establishment of stadiums in all taluks to strengthen sports infrastructure. Under the initiative led by DYES, district administrations have been asked to identify and transfer suitable land — typically around six to eight acres — for taluk-level stadiums. Funds are being sanctioned in phases, subject to land availability and project readiness.Apart from T Narasipura, the Saragur and Saligrama taluks in Mysuru district, both recently formed, also lack taluk-level stadiums.