U T Khader visits Mangala Stadium

• No funds to maintain Mangala Stadium says official

Mangaluru: Urban Development and Housing Minister and also Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada U.T.Khader’s visit to Mangala Stadium in the city on Sunday has brought forth  some disturbing facts on the condition and maintenance of the stadium.

Mr. Khader was taken around the synthetic track laid in 2013 by athletics coach Dinesh Kunder and members of the District Athletics Association and shown several areas where the track had become uneven because of lack of maintenance. They also complained about the absence of a trained marker and showed weeds that had grown around the track and have been left unattended.

Lack of funds

Coaches and sports association members have been demanding proper maintenance of the synthetic track in the stadium and to carry repair works on the leaking roof of the spectators gallery at the old Mangala Stadium. But, Deputy Director of Youth and Sports Pradeep D’Souza who is the in-charge of the stadium informed that the lack of funds to the department due to which it is very difficult to carry out maintenance and repair works at the stadium.

The deputy director informed the minister that there were no funds to carry out the maintenance and repair work. Thought the stadium earns around Rs. 40 lakh per year from the exhibition at the Karavali Grounds, most of the amount goes for salary and other expenses of the 16 personnel working on contract basis. The Rs. 87 lakh savings amount with the Stadium Development Committee was given as per the order of the State government for the construction of a swimming pool in Yemmikere, he explained.

Seek funds

Mr. Khader advised Mr. D’Souza to seek funds from organisations, including Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited and Corporation Bank. “You should move around to get funds from these organisations,” he said.

To help Mangala Stadium generate revenue, a proposal for the construction of a shopping complex along the periphery of the stadium under the Smart City Project will be proposed, the minister assured.