Under repaired Bakshi Stadium forced JK to host I-League match at TRC’s unfit ground

Srinagar : Kashmir on Tuesday was forced to host the I-League match at the Astro Turf TRC but the conditions and the pavilion was not upto the mark.
The ground was chosen as there has been delay in completion of repairing work at Bakshi Stadium Srinagar.
The work for up gradation of Bakshi Stadium Srinagar was started in 2017. The Union Sports Ministry has entrusted the National Projects Construction Corporation for repairing of the Stadium. However, so far very little work has been completed. “If the work will continue as per the present pace, then it will take few more years to complete repairing of Bakshi Stadium,” an official of State Sports Council was reported to have told local news gathering agency.
The official said that executing agency was told several times to speed up its pace, but to no avail. In view of construction work, the I-League match was played at TRC on Tuesday. “See the pavilion of the TRC. There are no facilities here except the Astro turf. There is no drainage system neither proper space to sit on,” Saeed Ahmad, a local footballer said. He said that Bakshi Stadium was not fit to host the match. He said that National Projects Construction Corporation was executing the construction works of Bakhsi Stadium.
The official said that poor sports infrastructure is creating hurdles in the performance of players as Jammu and Kashmir has only 137 play fields against the requirement of 2500.
An official of JK Youth Services and Sports said that lack of play fields have been affecting the performance of players. “The existing play fields are also in bad shape. Only few grounds have drainage system in place,” the official said.
“There is also dearth of trained coaches almost in every sport. Our youth are well talented but are not getting proper training due to lack of play fields, coaches and other requirements,” the official said.
The state has produced some of the sports persons, who represent national team in cricket, football, water sports, and chess. “While comparing to other Indian states, the number is very less. This is because we don’t have infrastructure available here. The sports have been least concern for the government,” the official added.
“People are not much aware about sports activities being conducted in the state. Sports infrastructure is also been created,” he added.