Open Space Reserve (OSR) land is not meant only for parks anymore. In a first, Chennai Corporation will soon establish mini-stadiums on OSR land measuring more than one acre in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
After conceiving the concept, the Chennai Corporation had submitted 17 proposals of which Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has approved five mini-stadiums within the city limits under the Local Arrangement Plan.
The sports facilities in the Corporation limits will come up on Cochrane Basin Road in Tondiarpet, DLF Info City in Manapakkam, Annai Velankanni Nagar in Mugalivakkam, Phoenix Mall in Velachery and on the OSR land given by Jeppiaar Educational Trust in Semmenchery village, officials said. Facilities for basketball, football, handball, hockey, tennis, 200-metre and 400-metre athletic tracks and walkways may come up depending on space. The only stadium outside the corporation limits would be in Perungalathur with facilities for volley ball, badminton and tennis.
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The corporation was planning to develop at least 10 mini-stadiums on OSR lands this year on a pilot basis but only six have been approved by the CMDA. The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu will offer technical assistance.
Over 90 percent of the funding of the facilities will be borne by the CMDA. The Chennai Corporation or the other local bodies in the CMA will spend 10 per cent.
“There will be no limit to the number of such facilities to be developed under the project funded by CMDA. But, the local body will have to implement the project,” a civic body official said.
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Chennai Corporation has asked the residents’ association of the neighbourhoods to play a key role in the development of mini-stadiums. Some projects proposed by the Corporation were not implemented because of opposition from Members of Legislative Assembly in some of the constituencies in the city, officials said explaining the need for public support for such sports facilities.