Dispur is thinking of converting Nehru Stadium in the city into a state-of-the-art multi-purpose sports complex that can host not only football and cricket matches but other sports, including indoor ones, as well.
Lakhya Konwar, a member secretary of the state-level advisory committee for students and youth welfare, said this while inaugurating the Topcem-ASJA Inter-Media T20 Cricket Tournament at Judges Field here.
He was responding to an appeal by Assam Cricket Association secretary Devajit Saikia to restore the stadium, which is lying almost unusable, for cricket and football matches.
The stadium, which used to host international cricket and football matches, has been lying unused since its infrastructure development, initiated for the South Asian Games in 2016 and again for Fifa under-17 World Cup football in 2017, was twice abandoned midway. “Cricket should be restored in the historic stadium like the way it used to be in the past. Besides, two football turfs should be developed with the cricket pitch in between like in the past so that both sports can grow together in the historic infrastructure,” Saikia suggested.
Konwar, who is also the Assam Olympic Association general secretary, said, “We propose to make the stadium a four-storey one where we can install all amenities for most of the sports disciplines. If necessary, we may consider public-private partnership model to develop it.”
The Nehru Stadium, an initiative of the architect of modern Assam, R.G. Baruah, was commissioned in 1962.
In the two matches of the inter-media cricket tournament, Prasar Bharti edged past Sports Journalists XI by two wickets, while Media Management got the better of Electronic Media by seven wickets in a match that ended in a nail-biting finish.
In the inaugural match, Sports Journalists elected to bat and scored 124 for four in 20 overs and Prasar Bharti reached 126 for eight in 17.1 overs.
In the other match, Electronic Media posted 133 for six in 17 overs and Media Management reached 135 for three in 16.5 overs.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Meghalaya Cements Ltd president (sales and marketing) Anil Kapoor, among others.
