ROURKELA: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 647 projects worth around Rs 964 crore in Sundargarh district on Friday. The inaugurated projects included the newly-constructed Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium near Bisra Square. The multi-purpose sports facility spreads over 10 acre with a seating capacity of 10,000. The stadium also has athletic tracks, football ground and swimming pool.
Naveen also inaugurated a multi-level car parking adjacent to the athletics stadium. Both the stadium and parking facility have been built at a combined cost of Rs 157.21 crore by the Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL). Addressing the audience at the athletics stadium, Naveen in his inimitable style, asked, “Apana mane khusi ta (Are you happy)?” The crowd responded with a thunderous cheer.
On the day, the fully-revamped Panposh market complex of RSCL worth around Rs 53.59 crore was also inaugurated. The new projects covered varied sectors including sports, infrastructure, road connectivity, irrigation, health, education and sanitation across Sundargarh district. These included three rural hockey training centres with astro-turf grounds and five mega lift irrigation projects constructed at a total cost of around Rs 232 crore.
Later, the CM was taken to Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium (BMHS) at Chhend Colony where he attended the pre-match ceremony of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-23. Naveen felicitated the officials of Hockey India (HI) and received the Guinness Book of World Records certificate which was accorded to BMHS for being the world’s largest seated hockey stadium.
The CM also watched the inaugural match between India and Germany. The FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-23 will conclude on March 15. A total of six matches will be played among India, Germany and Australia at BMHS.
Among others, 5T secretary VK Pandian, Sports secretary R Vineel Krishna, Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak, RN Pali legislator Subrata Tarai, Sundargarh collector Parag Harshad Gavali and Rourkela Municipal Corporation commissioner Subhankar Mohapatra were present. After night halt at the Hockey World Cup village in the BMHS complex, Naveen will leave for Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
Infrastructure boost
Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium spreads over 10 acre with a seating capacity of 10,000
A multi-level car parking adjacent to the stadium inaugurated
Five mega lift irrigation projects launched
Other projects include three rural hockey training centres with astro-turf grounds