BHUBANESWAR: Giving a boost to sports development in Samablpur, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday inaugurated the Burla indoor stadium and launched sports projects worth Rs 120 crore in the city. He laid the foundation stone for Sambalpur Football Academy and Sambalpur University sports complex, including a hockey stadium, through virtual mode from here.
The Burla indoor stadium features four badminton courts and a seating capacity for over 400 spectators. The centralised AC facility also has players’ changing rooms, a first aid room, a gym, and multipurpose halls that can accommodate other indoor games such as carrom, chess and fencing.
The playing arena is well-equipped with wooden synthetic flooring and BWF (Badminton World Federation) recommended sports lighting system to provide an international experience to the players. The stadium has been built at a cost of Rs 32 crore including Rs 10.35 crore and Rs 7.5 crore funding from MCL and the central government respectively.
The chief minister lauded the sports culture in Sambalpur and said these facilities will further strengthen the sports development in the district. Noting that football is quite a popular sport in the region, he said that the Sambalpur Football Academy is being established to provide top quality coaching and competition facilities for the local talent.
The football academy will feature a FIFA-sized natural turf with floodlight system as well as a facility building with a gallery that can accommodate 1,000 spectators. The campus will also have a kabaddi court. The project will cost Rs 17 crore.
The upcoming sports complex at Sambalpur University will have a hockey stadium with a Category 1 FIH certified synthetic hockey turf, FIH recommended sports lighting system and a gallery that can accommodate around 3,000 spectators, including seating for differently-abled people.
Additionally, the hockey stadium will have players’ facilities, gymnasium and dignitary seating. It will also have a 1,000-seater multipurpose indoor stadium, with an arena of BWF standard badminton courts, which will accommodate volleyball, basketball, kho kho and various indoor sports like table tennis and combat sports.
The multipurpose indoor stadium will feature a fitness centre, a dedicated weightlifting hall, offices, coach rooms, and a medical room. It will be equipped to host regional-level competitions. The state government is investing Rs 70 crore in this project, the CM said.