COIMBATORE: Football has been a major passion for the residents of the hilltown of Valparai in Coimbatore district. But the native sports lovers sorely miss a proper football ground as the preferred one at Kakkan Colony in Ward Number 10 came to be used as parking space for the last four years. Now the Valparai Municipality has decided to revamp the ground in response to continuous demands by the local football association.
The civic body plans to develop additional facilities like a gallery and toilets for sportspersons.
The ground was widely used for sports for more than 20 years before it fell into disuse. Unable to find an alternative place, the sports enthusiasts had been demanding the government to provide another ground or redevelop the old one.
"The Valparai Football Association had conducted several state- and district-level tournaments in this ground where even teams from neighbouring states participated. However, the unmaintained ground was encroached upon for the last several years. We had been demanding the authorities (Valparai Municipality) to revamp it. In 2019, it was revamped, and two tournaments were conducted in 2019. Later, the ground was again abandoned for more than four years. Considering our association's continuous demand, the municipality has now taken steps to develop it," said H Sayed Ali, the coordinator of the Valparai Football Association.
Protecting the ground with proper facilities will encourage many players from this hilly terrain," said Sayed Ali.
All 56 estates in Valparai have at least one ground for football where the people residing in the locality used to play the game. If they want to play professionally, they used to come to the common ground at Kakkan Colony, he added.
A young player from Rottikadai who did not want to be named said that the ground had been totally neglected for the last few years. "A temporary road was paved inside the ground to manage the traffic during the summer season, and the edges of the ground were encroached by the locals. Additionally, a part was used as a vehicle parking lot, which had turned into a den of anti-social elements. We urged the municipality several times to protect the ground. As the election is approaching, the municipality has begun the renovation. However, we want the authorities to at least fence the ground so that it is doesn't revert to the current plight " he said.
When asked, a senior officer from the Valparai Municipality said that they are levelling the ground and plans to set up a permanent gallery.