Asok Bhattacharya, the MLA of Siliguri, has sent letters to state and central ministers of sports and youth affairs, seeking improvement in sports infrastructure of the city.

While one of the letters has been sent to Kiren Rijiju, the Union minister of state for sports and youth affairs, the second letter has been sent to Aroop Biswas, the state minister of sports.

In his letter to Rijiju, Bhattacharya urged him to take necessary steps and shift the campus of the Sports Authority of India to Siliguri from Jalpaiguri. In 2015, the campus was shifted to Jalpaiguri. As of now, it runs at the Biswabangla Krirangan in Jalpaiguri.

“When the SAI campus was operational here, many budding talents benefited. But for some unknown reasons, it was shifted to some other place. It is a major demand of Siliguri residents and hence, I have written to the Union minister, seeking his intervention to re-establish the sports facility in Siliguri. We are ready to extend all necessary help,” said Bhattacharya, who is also chairperson of the board of administrators of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

On the other hand, he has requested Biswas to take necessary steps for the renovation of the Kanchenjungha Stadium and the construction of a cricket stadium.

“The stadium is in a dilapidated state and that is why, no major soccer tourney has been organised here these years. It is time that the state government carries out a comprehensive renovation of the facility,” said Bhattacharya.

It was a longstanding demand of Siliguri residents that a cricket stadium be developed in the city. In the past few weeks, the demand has again gained ground at different quarters. “The state has a major role in this regard,” added the MLA.