Bhubaneswar: In a significant stride towards enhancing cricket infrastructure in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the redevelopment of the historic Barabati Cricket Stadium and laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the VSS cricket stadium in Sambalpur.
The Barabati stadium is set to undergo a transformation into a world-class sports complex, featuring modern facilities through a collaborative effort with BCCI, OCA, and corporate entities. The iconic clock tower, bearing historical significance, will be preserved as a heritage structure during the redevelopment. Simultaneously, the VSS stadium in Sambalpur will witness expansion and development, incorporating state-of-the-art facilities for the aspiring cricketers in the region.
The Chief Minister inaugurated cricket facilities at multiple locations, including Berhampur Sports Complex, Shree Jagannath Cricket Stadium & Women’s Cricket Academy in Puri, Sports Complex in Jajpur, and Cricket Ground in Jharsuguda. Additionally, 41 cricket academies developed across the state by Odisha Cricket Association were inaugurated during the ceremony.
In a gesture paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the stadium in Berhampur will be named Mahatma Gandhi Cricket Stadium, commemorating Gandhiji’s visit to the location during the Freedom movement.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the creation of an Integrated Sports Complex in Sitalapalli, Berhampur, encompassing facilities for athletics, football, cricket, and an indoor stadium to cater to the sporting needs of the region.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Ganjam Weightlifting Academy, along with a 200-seated hostel, establishing it as the largest weightlifting training facility in the country. This facility is seen as a tribute to the prolific weightlifters produced by Ganjam.
Numerous sports infrastructures in Jajpur, such as the Kusuma Complex Swimming Pool, Hockey Training Centre, multipurpose indoor stadium, athletic track, and football ground, were inaugurated. Foundation stones were laid for the Rugby ground, cricket grounds, and hostels.
Adding to the ambitious agenda, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stones for Integrated Sports Complexes at Bargarh and Dhenkanal, incorporating various facilities such as athletic tracks, swimming pools, football grounds, and cricket grounds.
Expressing his views, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik highlighted the government’s and OCA’s focus on cricket as a pivotal element in creating an ecosystem for nurturing champions in the state. Emphasizing sports as a priority area for youth empowerment, he affirmed Odisha’s recognition as a major sports destination in the country. The Chief Minister expressed optimism that the newly developed sports infrastructure and training facilities would attract more children towards sports.
The program unfolded across 50 venues through video conferencing, witnessing the participation of numerous cricketers and sports personalities.