Rebuilding past Glory

Sunday, 09 August 2009

Kusum Arora, Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 8: The preparations for the upcoming Four Nation Champions Trophy are in full swing as the Punjab Sports Department has earmarked an amount of Rs 3 Crore for the complete overhaul of Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Jalandhar. The renovation is expected to be over by mid-September. The Punjab Gold Cup, Four Nation Women’s Hockey tournaments would be held in the month of October this year while the Punjab Gold Cup, Four-nation Men’s Hockey is slated to be held in January 2010.

The renovation work includes relaying of a new turf, reconstruction of the stadium, expansion of Bodhi hostel, a world-class gym for the players and a new turf to be laid at the ‘Mecca of Hockey’, Sansarpur village.

Talking to The Tribune, Director Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh said earlier the renovation work was expected to be over by the end of August but it got struck due to the ongoing monsoons. “The department has decided to raise the ground level by 2 inches and then lay the turf. The work on the turf is expected to begin soon”, he added.

Pargat maintained that they would also take up the issue of reconstruction of the approach road to the stadium.

It might be noted that department has roped in a Germany-based company for relaying the turf for which it would spend an approximate amount of Rs 2.5 crores. “The renovation includes laying of a mini turf of 22×44 dimension at Sansarpur village as well”, he added. Project chairman and deputy director sports, Jalandhar Division, Hazari Lal Sharma said they have been allocated Rs 14 Lakh for the reconstruction work. “The aim is to equip the stadium with facilities on par with international standards so that national level camps can be held here”, he added that the revamp will include a world class players’ room, referee room, physiotherapist room, conference room, media room, electronic score board, a place for media on VIP stage with electricity points.

“The work is going on simultaneously at all fronts and would be completed well on time before the upcoming four-nation hockey tournament”, he maintained.

Apart from this another feather in the cap is the ongoing expansion of the Bodhi hostel. A new hostel is being constructed adjoining the old one. The hostel has been designed keeping in mind international standards. The 26 rooms at the state-of-the-art hostel would house a well-furnished and spacious dining hall, recreation hall, study hall and much more. “We have been looking forward to the expansion of the hostel for a quite a long time and it would be completed soon”, he maintained.

The department has decided to raise the ground level by 2 inches and then lay the turf. — Pargat Singh

* Surjit Hockey Society came into existence in 1984 with a pledge to keep the name of Sardar Surjit Singh Randhawa, Olympian who lost his life in a fatal car accident near Jalandhar on January 7, 1984.

* He fought hard for the upliftment of Hockey. Surjit was a member of World XI, Asia Stars XI and he participated in number of international events including Olympics, World Cup, Champions Trophy, Asian Games.

* The Stadium has witnessed numerous international level tournaments in which top teams from Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh, Yugoslavia, Canada, England, America, Croatia have participated.

* The Society has been honored by IOC by way of extending continuous sponsorship since 1990.

The Tribune