Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday launched the work on development of a modern football playfield in Sembium in north Chennai.
This is part of Greater Chennai Corporation’s project to develop 83 playfields with modern amenities at an estimated cost of ₹97 crore.
Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said the State government, under the Singara Chennai 2.0 project, had been focussing on building playfields in the open space reserved (OSR) lands.
“The Corporation has a list of over 400 OSR sites of various sizes. Instructions had been given to officials on this and views of the councillors have been sought on developing these sites into parks and playfields. As playfields were an important component, last year there was a good allocation of funds for them. The playfields include football, badminton, cricket and open gym based on the local needs,” said Mr. Bedi.
While 15 playfields were proposed under the capital fund in 2020-2021, work on 18 were proposed under the Singara Chennai 2.0 in 2021-22 at an estimate of ₹12.57 crore. Fifty more playfields had been proposed under Singara Chennai 2.0 at an estimated cost of ₹50 crore this financial year, the officials said.
Located in Ward 67, work on the modernised football playfield at Sembium will be completed by May next, the officials said.
The ground will have Astroturf measuring 94.5 metre in length and 43.5 metre in width and will be developed at a cost of ₹3.3 crore. It will have a six-tier gallery, 290 metres pathway for walkers, toilets, an open gymnasium and CCTV surveillance. A rainwater harvesting system has been put in place at the ground.
