Abandoned cricket stadium project in Jammu not a J&K govt initiative, says CM
Jammu, Mar 25 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the proposed international cricket stadium in Jammu city was not a J&K government’s project.
“The proposed international cricket stadium at Bajalta in Jammu was initiated by the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) but (it) did not materialise. It was not a project of the J&K government,” the chief minister said during the question hour in the legislative assembly.
The foundation stone for the stadium at Bajalta in Jammu was laid on March 18, 2012, when Omar Abdullah was the chief minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state.
J&K Minister for Youth Services and Sports Satish Sharma, while responding to the main question raised by BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma, informed the assembly that his department, to date, has not proposed the establishment of an international cricket stadium in Jammu.
However, the CM emphasised that his government remains committed to developing administrative units established during his previous tenure and will ensure the necessary infrastructure is built over time.
In response to a supplementary question from Congress MLA G A Mir, the chief minister mentioned that the construction of the mini secretariat in Dooru in Anantnag district was initiated in 2018 by the Jammu Kashmir Projects Construction Company at an estimated cost of Rs 5.90 crore.
He informed the house that the work had been completed up to the plinth level, and part payments had been made accordingly.
However, the work there remains stalled as further approvals did not come following a 2021 detailed project report (DPR), which raised the estimated cost to Rs 5.98 crore.
He added that the 2021 DPR, too, needs reassessment in line with the latest Schedule of Rates (SoRs), considering the impact of cost escalation. “A final decision will be made once this reassessment is completed,” he assured.
Satish Sharma informed that the central government released Rs 14.75 crore for four projects sanctioned under the Khelo India Scheme during 2018-19, of which Rs 13.67 crore have been expended so far.
The minister, responding to a query from Sheikh Khursheed Ahmed, informed the house that two projects — one synthetic hockey turf at Pologround in Srinagar and the other one at K K Hakku Stadium in Jammu — have been completed and are operational.
The remaining two — a synthetic athletic track at Tulibal in Baramulla and an indoor sports hall in Budgam — are still in progress, he said.
