ROURKELA: With Rourkela set to host Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2023, steps are being taken to complete the Smart City projects on time.
After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik named Rourkela as the second venue for the World Cup matches in November last year, officials of Sports and Youth Services department and Hockey India visited the city to assess the available infrastructure and logistics required for the event.
After a pause due to the lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions, preparations for the event are gaining pace.
Rourkela Smart City Limited (RSCL) sources said redevelopment of the multi-purpose Birsa Munda Stadium, multi-level car parking and Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium-cum-auditorium are in advanced stage. The first phase of the smart road project has started and the second will commence soon.
City beautification projects including construction of a green buffer zone around DAV pond and Brahmani river front, development of slums, transformation of Vedvyas as a tourism site and construction of mechanical auditorium at Vedvyas are at various stages of development. Sources said work on the underground sewerage system in the city will be completed by June next year.
Municipal Commissioner and CEO of RSCL Dibyajyoti Parida said he is confident that all Smart City projects would be completed by next year and there would be enough time left to prepare for the World Cup.
A team from Hockey India is likely to visit the city in the next few days after which work on another practice stadium at Biju Patnaik Hockey Stadium would be started.
Sources said the State government and Airports Authority of India (AAI) keen to restore commercial flights to and from SAIL’s airport in the city under the Regional Connectivity Scheme- ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’. If all goes as per plan, flight operations may start from the airport in the next six to eight months.
Projects on fast lane