The local people are angry over the State Government being hell-bent on constructing a helipad right on the under-construction Ransi Stadium instead of doing things on the site selected a few years ago near the stadium.
The refrain is that while the State Government and particularly Chief Minister Harish Rawat are stressing on development of sports, they are on the ground converting a stadium into a helipad.
“It looks strange that while the CM is saying that the Rans Stadium in Pauri would be built as an international standard sports stadium the State Government, on the other hand, is bent on building the helipad right on the stadium.
“We want the CM to intervene and stop things from happening. It is hurting the sentiments of the sports lovers as well as the common people,” said an angry local. They say they would launch a vigorous stir if the CM does not address the issue.
Sensing the people’s mood, former Uttarakhand sports council vice-chairman Jaspal Singh Negi along with a representative of the local MP BC Khanduri and some sports lovers met the district magistrate and expressed their resentment on the construction of helipad in Ransi ground where the stadium is being built. Bhatt, however, passed the buck to the courtyard of the state government, saying that the latter alone can do anything.
The logic put forward in defence of the decision to go for the helipad right on the stadium is that two places Srinagar Stadium and Pauri Stadium have been chosen for housing helipads for emergency landing during times of disaster.
The delegates, however, made it clear that if this happened the stadium once completed would cease to be one for training athletes and holding international tournament after things are completed.
It is pertinent to mention that Ransi ground in
Pauri is set to be developed as the only stadium in Asia located at an altitude of 7000 ft. It is meant to come up as a stadium of international standards.
To make things unfold as envisioned, the state government has sanctioned Rs five crores. The agency entrusted with the task has already started work. Rs three crore has been spent so far, it is learnt.