Kaloor Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium renovation deadline ends, work remains incomplete
KOCHI: The renovation of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor remains incomplete even as the deadline given to the Sports Kerala Foundation (SKF), which had undertaken the work, came to a close on Sunday. Given the circumstances, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) – which owns the stadium – took back the handover document from SKF on Saturday.
GCDA chairperson K Chandran Pillai told TNIE that the agreement with SKF was to turn the stadium into a world-class facility, fit to hold FIFA matches.
“The aim was to finish the renovation work associated with the stadium on a war footing in time for the match involving a Lionel Messi-led Argentina. However, when the said match got cancelled, the urgency related to the renovation also fizzled out,” he said.
According to him, SKF had completed work on the turf and the floodlights, among other repairs.
“But the work outside the stadium, like the parking area, compound wall, drainage, main gates, and road tarring, remains incomplete. We will be making a list of the work left incomplete and then decide on how, to whom, and by when the work will be completed,” Pillai said.
The GCDA had signed an agreement with SKF, a non-profit organisation registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act and functioning under the department of sports and youth affairs, with the sports minister as its chairman. Through the agreement, the stadium was handed over to SKF for renovation. In turn, SKF entered into a separate agreement with the Reporter Broadcasting Corporation (RBC) to carry out the renovation in line with FIFA standards, with a commitment to return the stadium without any damage by November 30.
Earlier in the month, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had asserted that the stadium renovation would be completed within the specified time. The sponsors, who had undertaken the work at a cost of `70 crore, had also said that the renovation would be completed by November 30 and that they would try again to get FIFA approval.
