Senior sports administrator K.P. Rao on Monday asked the Vijayawada Municipal Commissioner to convene a meeting involving all the stakeholders of Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium before taking up the proposed renovation works.
In a press release on Monday, he said the aim the corporation appears to favour cricket at the cost of other sports and games. “The site of the stadium was donated by locals who desired for overall the development of sports not restricting to cricket alone. In fact in the by-laws of the corporation it is clearly mentioned that the stadium should be used for all games.”
‘Lackadaisical policies’
He said the corporation lost crores of rupees owing to its lackadaisical policies and the play field, for many years, was maintained by sports associations and district sports authority. “Corporation was only giving permission but not funds”. He said it was unfortunate the stadium was given on rent to cracker sales, religious, cultural and political meetings. “Until recently even food courts were operating in football courts.” Mr. Rao remained the commissioner that even the High Court has asked the VMC to give the stadium for other sports and games. Mr. Rao said 65 sports outfits will suffer if the stadium was developed to promote only cricket and asked the civic chief to convene meting involving local MP, MLAs, sports associations and administrators.
