Odisha CM inaugurates Birsa Munda Athletic Stadium, Hockey Training Centres in Sundargarh

Priya Ranjan Swain Published On : Mar 10, 2023 at 7:53 PM

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated multiple sports infrastructure projects in Sundargarh district of Odisha.

The projects will play a significant role in the holistic development of sports in Sundargarh which is reputed for producing many national and international players.

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The Chief Minister inaugurated Birsa Munda Athletic Stadium in Rourkela and three Hockey Training Centres at Bisra, Lahunipara and Manchmara.

“Sundargarh has been a backbone of sports in Odisha. Not just Hockey it has produced players of repute in athletics and many other disciplines. The projects launched today will enable us to nurture a large spectrum of sports talent from this district and the nearby regions,” said the Chief Minister.

The Birsa Munda Athletic Stadium in Rourkela features a 400-metre synthetic athletic track and a natural turf football field with floodlights. The stadium has four galleries with a seating capacity of more than 9,000 spectators, including differently-abled people.

The stadium has changing rooms for players, lounges, and other ancillary facilities necessary for hosting national level events and competitions.

The stadium houses an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool along with players’ changing rooms and allied facilities. With a gallery for 500 spectators, this pool is equipped to host regional level competitions.

A multi-level car parking building with commercial office spaces is also a part of the stadium. The parking building can accommodate over 180 cars. The stadium is spread over 11 acres with a total project cost of over Rs 148 crore.

The Hockey Training Centres have Category 3 FIH certified synthetic hockey turfs with a changing room for players, administration room, gymnasium, first-aid room and seating facility for 200 spectators.

Residential facilities for coaches and support staff have also been integrated to the training centres. The centres are well-equipped for day-to-day training. Each training centre is spread over 3 acres with a total project cost of over Rs 11 crore, sources said.