DU Stadium to open this year

Authorities upgrading facilities so that a host of games can be played

DU Stadium to open this year

Authorities upgrading facilities so that a host of games can be played

Sports enthusiasts in Delhi University (DU) can finally breathe easy. DU authorities are upgrading the DU Stadium, which was given out to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) to organise the rugby seven matches during CWG. The stadium will be open for use by students in the new academic year, which starts on July 21.

Getting sporty: The Rugby stadium at Sports complex of Delhi
University. file pic

Dean Students Welfare, J M Khurana, on the opening of the stadium said: "The university ground is meant for use by students only. There is no fixed date as to when it will be open, but definitely sometime soon this year."

All set to play
The stadium was handed back to DU authorities after a long struggle with the OC. DU students have not been able to use the stadium for the last two years. The stadium, located opposite the School of Open Learning (SOL), was constructed during the CWG.

"We are hopeful we can make the ground available to students soon this year. A lot of work has to be done on it, as it has not been maintained on a regular basis since the Games. We are trying to make it a broad based facility for all the indoor games, besides cricket, football and rugby," said M C Aggarwal, chairman, sports council. A basketball court is also being built.

The university has not had great facilities in terms of sports infrastructure. The upgraded infrastructure installed at the time of CWG has given the students and coaches some hope of being able to use upgraded facilities and improving the standard of sports.

"We are working on the technicalities to make optimum use of the facilities made during the CWG. We are talking to consultants and agencies for designing the ground to make it a multi-purpose sports arena," added Aggarwal.

Rahul Bhalla, member of the cricket team, Khalsa College said, "We have seen the stadium only from outside. It looks grand. Once its open for us, it will give us an international feel playing in there."

From rugby to cricket
The Delhi University had asked the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games to convert the Rugby ground on the campus into a cricket ground. The Rugby Stadium was made in place of the university cricket ground situated opposite the School of Open Learning and the varsity had taken a written assurance from the OC that after Games, it would relay the cricket pitch and renovate the ground. "I have no idea as to the conversion of Rugby stadium into a cricket ground. I have not received anything in writing nor has it been conveyed yet. The Games are over nothing much is going to change for sports other than cricket," said Sudarshan Pathak, Coordinating director, Sports Council of Delhi University. "The ground was given to the Commonwealth Games authorities on the condition that it would be converted into a cricket ground after the Games. It would be now turned into a cricket pitch of international standards," said Deepak Pental,
vice-chancellor of Delhi University."We are yet to pass the budget for the project. But it should be ready within 4-5 months," said Pental. The rented chairs for the main Rugby Sevens stadium are now being returned.

Youth festival lacks 'space'
The University Polo Grounds, where the youth festival of the university is held every year, were not retrieved from the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on time.
Hence the fest, Youth Nexus, could not be held last year. The site, along with Sports Complex ground, St Stephen's and Khalsa College grounds, are the four sports fields amongst the eight that were taken over as training grounds for CWG.u00a0