In 2017, almost two years from now, India would be hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. It is the first time that the country will be hosting an international football competition.
However, the ground reality to motivate children to take to football is far from satisfactory with the DDA ‘abandoning’ some of its mini-football fields, once inaugurated with all pomp and show.
The state of mini-football ground at Dwarka sector 8 built by DDA narrates a tale of neglect and wastage of public money with DDA officials calling it a “bad location”. Over five feet high shrubs growing between the two goalposts and piles of garbage are the striking features. Wild vegetation surrounds the area now home to anti-social elements. Shepherds can be seen grazing sheep just ahead of a board that reads DDA Sports Complex. Cow dung cakes line the uneven kuchha path created by piles of debris and waste from houses and the many temples, leading to the fenced football field.
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Located opposite the Medical Council of India and near Bagdola village in Sector 8, the field also has stagnant water created by an open sewer.
The porta cabin which once housed a guard is now missing.
Built in 2010 after the then LG advocated promoting sport activity, the mini-football field was among over 15 such built by the DDA.
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The fields were based on the concept of Futsal, a variant of football played on a smaller field with two teams of five players each. It is largely for imparting ball control skills. The likes at Vasant Kunj inside a sports complex fared better.
The DDA in 2011 had hosted a mini-football cup in these fields. A senior DDA official said “the mini-football fields were made at odd locations. No children could come to play there ever. Finally they were abandoned.”
Another field at Dwarka Sector 11, the DDA official says, is still used by children to play football but it has so much dust that it is a potential health hazard.
Ranjit Thapa, a former international football player and a DDA coach, is the only person DDA has for imparting training.
Mr. Thapa says, “the situation is really bad. We talk of competing internationally but what can we do. The DDA is not maintaining it.”
Mini-football fields in Delhi were developed in Netaji Subhas Sports Complex, Jasola; Dwarka Sports Complex, Rashtriya Swabhiman Khel Parisar, Pitampura and Vasant Kunj Sports Complex.
Other seven are located in playfields at Mandavali Fazalpur Mini Sports Complex, Vasundhara Sports Complex, Vasant Kunj ‘B’ Block Sports Complex, Vikas Puri, Partap Nagar, Rohini Sector -3 and Lawrence Road.