A dream moves towards reality in Coimbatore
NEW FACILITY: The Corporation Sports Complex courts, adjacent to Nehru Stadium, are likely to be acquired for the construction of a multi-purpose indoor stadium. — Photo: K. Ananthan
Coimbatore: The Manchester of the South has for long been craving for an indoor stadium.
But what looked a distant dream for almost two decades may well turn into a reality with the District Collector, Neeraj Mittal, and the Rural Industries Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy, expressing confidence over obtaining the VOC Park Corporation Sports Complex adjacent to the Nehru Stadium for the construction of a full-fledged indoor stadium.
Demand
"We are fortunate to have plenty of talents and sufficient infrastructure. But there's also a great demand for an indoor stadium. So, we are seriously looking at the Corporation Sports Complex, which we all feel will be easily accessible to sportspersons from all walks of life," said the Collector.
Mr. Palanisamy said that when he was given the portfolio of Sports and Youth Affairs in 1998, the State Government had sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs 4. crore for the construction of an indoor stadium in the City. "We failed to utilise it because nothing really took shape. I now come to understand that the funds were diverted to Krishnagiri," he said.
He gave an assurance that he would take up the matter once again with the sports-loving Chief Minister, for the benefit of sports lovers.
"The Government is supporting sportspersons, particularly women, in a strong manner. A classic example is the big cash purse distributed to Doha Asian Games medal winner Shanthi. The idea is to encourage women to take up sports. So, I have great faith that he would fulfil our needs as well for an indoor stadium," Mr. Palanisamy said.
Past promises
In 1997, the then Tamil Nadu Government decided to come up with indoor stadiums in Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli. Based on that, the necessary spadework for spotting suitable sites was done by the Coimbatore wing of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and the Coimbatore District Volleyball Association.
Suitable sites were identified near Ganga Nursing Home in Ramnagar, Cowley Brown Road, Guru Govindaiah Road and Sastri Maidan in R.S. Puram.
A requisition letter (dated: 12-6-98) was even dashed off to the then Coimbatore Mayor seeking his suggestion and approval.
Copies of the same were also submitted to the then Corporation Commissioner, Education Minister and District Collector. But, their efforts failed to bear fruit as they got a negative reply.
Tough times
Almost all the major sports associations in the district pay through their noses for erecting makeshift galleries during tournaments.
There were days when even major outdoor championships were shifted midway through to the Venkatakrishnan Indoor Stadium in Perianaickenpalayam due to rain.
It did cause a lot of embarrassment and pain to those organising it.
However, the present set of officials has given a ray of hope.
With the industrialists also coming forward to fund the project, one hopes to see an indoor stadium in the next couple of years in Coimbatore, a place for numerous dreams to materialise and sportpersons to develop.
Coimbatore: The Manchester of the South has for long been craving for an indoor stadium.
But what looked a distant dream for almost two decades may well turn into a reality with the District Collector, Neeraj Mittal, and the Rural Industries Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy, expressing confidence over obtaining the VOC Park Corporation Sports Complex adjacent to the Nehru Stadium for the construction of a full-fledged indoor stadium.
Demand
"We are fortunate to have plenty of talents and sufficient infrastructure. But there's also a great demand for an indoor stadium. So, we are seriously looking at the Corporation Sports Complex, which we all feel will be easily accessible to sportspersons from all walks of life," said the Collector.
Mr. Palanisamy said that when he was given the portfolio of Sports and Youth Affairs in 1998, the State Government had sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs 4. crore for the construction of an indoor stadium in the City. "We failed to utilise it because nothing really took shape. I now come to understand that the funds were diverted to Krishnagiri," he said.
He gave an assurance that he would take up the matter once again with the sports-loving Chief Minister, for the benefit of sports lovers.
"The Government is supporting sportspersons, particularly women, in a strong manner. A classic example is the big cash purse distributed to Doha Asian Games medal winner Shanthi. The idea is to encourage women to take up sports. So, I have great faith that he would fulfil our needs as well for an indoor stadium," Mr. Palanisamy said.
Past promises
In 1997, the then Tamil Nadu Government decided to come up with indoor stadiums in Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli. Based on that, the necessary spadework for spotting suitable sites was done by the Coimbatore wing of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and the Coimbatore District Volleyball Association.
Suitable sites were identified near Ganga Nursing Home in Ramnagar, Cowley Brown Road, Guru Govindaiah Road and Sastri Maidan in R.S. Puram.
A requisition letter (dated: 12-6-98) was even dashed off to the then Coimbatore Mayor seeking his suggestion and approval.
Copies of the same were also submitted to the then Corporation Commissioner, Education Minister and District Collector. But, their efforts failed to bear fruit as they got a negative reply.
Tough times
Almost all the major sports associations in the district pay through their noses for erecting makeshift galleries during tournaments.
There were days when even major outdoor championships were shifted midway through to the Venkatakrishnan Indoor Stadium in Perianaickenpalayam due to rain.
It did cause a lot of embarrassment and pain to those organising it.
However, the present set of officials has given a ray of hope.
With the industrialists also coming forward to fund the project, one hopes to see an indoor stadium in the next couple of years in Coimbatore, a place for numerous dreams to materialise and sportpersons to develop.
Source:The Hindu
