New Delhi’s iconic Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium is being planned for dismantlement to rebuild a Sports City that will have venues for all major disciplines, along with residential facilities for athletes, according to a report published by The Indian Express.
According to the report, the Union sports ministry is currently researching and studying various global models for such projects. A source close to the Union Sports Ministry revealed, on condition of anonymity, that there is no fixed timeline for the project at this stage, since it is still in the ideation phase. The assessment of existing sports cities, such as the one in Doha, is ongoing. Only after these assessments will the planning phase and timeline be determined.
The JLN Stadium was originally built for the 1982 Asian Games. Ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the facility underwent a Rs 961 crore makeover, and recently, before the World Para Athletics Championship, a further Rs 50 crore was spent on upgradation.
Currently, apart from the main football stadium and athletics track, the sports complex houses an archery academy, badminton courts, Sports Authority of India (SAI) offices, the National Anti Doping Agency, and the National Dope Testing Laboratory, among others.
When asked what will happen to them, the source said, “All the offices will be relocated and similarly, the main stadium will be dismantled. Residential complexes will be built so that when athletes come here to participate in an event, they can stay near the stadium.”
The ministry wants to utilize the 102-acre area of the stadium complex, much of which is currently unused. The JLN Stadium, with its 60,000 capacity, has hosted major events including the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2017 U17 FIFA World Cup.
Most recently, the stadium hosted the first-ever World Para Athletics Championships. Ahead of the tournament, two new Mondo tracks in the main stadium and practice area were laid, while 10,000 new seats were installed in the lower spectators’ gallery. Additionally, the stadium was made wheelchair friendly with new lifts and accessible washrooms.
