BERHAMPUR: Two decades have passed since construction of Berhampur stadium began at the Barracks Ground here. The work, however, is far from over due to delay in identifying a patch of land that would be handed over to the Defence Ministry and payment of Rs 88 lakh by the State Government.
A portion of the land in the Barracks Ground that would be used for the stadium is under the possession of the Defence Ministry. The State Government has to hand over another piece of land to them in lieu of Barracks Ground.
The Ministry owns 9.183 acres, housing residential quarters for the NCC officials, of the total 17.68 acres earmarked for the stadium-cum-sports complex.
In September 2005, the Defence Ministry agreed to vacate the land in lieu of another piece of land within Berhampur and payment of Rs 88 lakh for relocation.
The State Government had agreed to provide 9.183 acres of land to the Ministry at Ambapua area of the city. However, it approached the Ministry seeking exemption from the payment of Rs 88 lakh. The latter, though, kept mum over the issue.
Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry constructed a polyclinic for ex-servicemen on the Barracks Ground.
Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) chairman Sarat Ranjan Patnaik said that the Ministry had not sought any approval from the BDA for the polyclinic. “With none taking the initiative for the land transfer, the Berhampur stadium might go into oblivion,” said Prafulla Jagananth Padhi, founder office-bearer of Ganjam District Athletic Association.