Puri: Sportspersons in the pilgrim city of Puri expressed their happiness after Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty laid the foundation stone for a new stadium near Penthakata yesterday.
As national and international level events will be held at the proposed stadium, players will get a chance to watch renowned players from close quarters and learn from them, opined sportspersons.
Though there is an indoor stadium in Puri, it is in a precarious condition.
The new stadium, to be named as Shree Jagannath Stadium, will be built at a cost of Rs 7.50 crore and will include an indoor stadium as well. The indoor stadium work is slated to be carried out by Wapcos, a Central government undertaking, and is targeted to be completed by December this year.
The Centre has sanctioned funds for the stadium under the 'Khelo India' programme.
"We are happy a stadium will be built here. Earlier, we used to depend on the existing indoor stadium for all kinds of sports. But after the new stadium is built we will get a track for practice. Besides, national and state level events will be organised here," said athlete, Deeptimayee Sahu.
Expressing similar views, Odisha Throwball Association, Secretary, Jitendra Nath Das said, "We are happy as finally the foundation stone was laid. However, we demand arrangements for accommodation facilities for at least 1,200 players close to the stadium."
An outdoor stadium will be set up close to the indoor stadium and the detail project report has been finalised, informed Minister Mohanty.
"As many as four badminton courts will be constructed in the indoor stadium and sitting arrangement for 250 spectators including space for coach and VIP enclosure will be made available. The stadium will be a pre-fabricated one," said Bijaya Kumar Mishra, an official of Wapcos.