In view of the National Games slated to be held in Uttarakhand in 2018, the State Government would connect important cities of the hill State with elevated roads. “Keeping an eye on the National Games-2018, we are planning to connect important cities like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Haldwani with elevated roads to provide smooth transport services to the visitors ,” said Chief Minister Harish Rawat, while laying the foundation stone of the Haldwani sports complex here on Thursday.
Besides, efforts are also on to connect Rudrapur, lalkuan, Haldwani, Kathgodam, Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun with metro corridors, added CM. Emphasising on the need to have better infrastructure facilities, Rawat called for winning maximum medals in the National Games-2018. To achieve this dream, we have started the process of identifying players and providing them with proper coaching. More so, inter-district sports competitions will also be organised in 2016-2017 to identify the sporting talents from the State, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani Indira Hridayesh said the old Haldwani sports stadium is being developed as a modern sports complex. An amount of Rs25 crore would be spent for the modernisation programme. The State Government has already released about Rs7 crore on this count during the last financial year, she added. Out of the Rs25 crore to be spent on this project, the State Government would spend Rs19 crore while rest Rs6 crore would be borne out by the Centre. The sports complex is expected to be readied for operation in a year, she stated.
Under this modernisation plan, aside from renovating the stadium, the sports complex would also be equipped with all the necessary sports facilities like indoor stadium, sports tracks, badminton courts, first aid room, administrative blocks, gymnasium, race tracks, table tennis hall, indoor game courts, hostels, cafeteria, coaching facilities and underground parking facility. Among others, Haldwani Mayor Jogendra Rautela and general secretary, Olympic Federation Rajiv Mehta were also present on the occasion.