Basketball court opened inside Berhampur stadium

Berhampur (Odisha): A basketball court was opened inside Berhampur Stadium in this south Odisha city after its renovation much to the delight of sports lovers.

The opening coincided with the National Sports Day yesterday. The court was closed for the last two years and the works department has renovated the court. The stadium has another basketball court.

The government had sanctioned Rs 50-lakh for the development of the stadium two years ago. The chunk of the sanctioned funds was spent for the development of the basketball court, said Executive Engineer, Works Department, Binod Padhy.

The other works include repair of volleyball court, construction of drains and gate of the stadium, he said. The opening of the basketball court would benefit players and the Berhampur Sports Hostel inmates, who are imparted training, said stadium in-charge Sachidananda Majhi. Twenty inmates of the sports hostel are receiving training on basketball, he said.

The sports lovers here, however, urged the government to complete the stadium work, setting up of a weightlifting academy and a hostel for footballers.

Berhampur stadium has not been completed 27 years after its inception as the major portion of land is under the possession of ministry of defence (MoD). Around 17.68 acres near old bus stand were identified for the stadium. Of the area, 9.18 acres are under the MoD. The incomplete stadium was inaugurated by the then chief minister JB Patnaik in 1989.

"We have urged the government for completion of the stadium by taking up the matter with the MoD," said secretary, Ganjam district athletic association, Kameswar Rao.