Chic cricket-cum-football venue for Dwarka

Article posted by Coliseum, December 7^th, 2021

Image: BCCI & Existing cricket stadium near Dwarka

Dwarka in New Delhi (India), one of the largest sub City of Asia, is all set to get an integrated multisports facility despite differences among various sports functionaries.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has invited bids to develop an international-level cricket and football stadium that can seat 30,000 spectators in Southwest Delhi’s Dwarka (India).

The ‘Hindustan Times’ stated that the integrated multisports facility will be built at a cost of ₹350-crore on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis – a first for DDA – and will be spread over 54 acres.

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The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is a planning authority created in 1957 under the provisions of the Delhi Development Act “to promote and secure the development of Delhi”.

The ‘Hindustan Times’ further stated that according to the tender, the private concessionaire will be responsible for constructing the facility, including preparing the masterplan of the area, and operating it. The concessionaire will be allowed commercial development on 35 percent of the area to recover the cost of the project.

Informed an official, requesting anonymity, “It will be developed on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis. The private concessionaire can construct hotels, malls and other commercial facilities to recover the cost of the project. The commercial component will be given on a 99 years lease whereas the concessionaire will have to operate and maintain the integrated sports facility for a period of 30 years.”

According to the tender document, the facility will have an outdoor stadium with a seating capacity for at least 30,000 spectators for cricket and football, and an indoor stadium with space for 2,000 spectators. It will also have badminton and squash courts, a table tennis facility, a multipurpose training centre, swimming pools, a fitness centre, etc. The area will also have a clubhouse for at least 3,000 members.

Currently, the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (now called Arun Jaitley Stadium) is the only stadium in Delhi that is used to host international cricket matches.

The 41,820-capacity Arun Jaitley Stadium is a cricket stadium located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi. Established in 1883 as the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, being near the Kotla Fort, it is the second oldest international cricket stadium still functional in India, after the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

PK Soni, the Media Manager of Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), said, “While a new cricket stadium is needed in Delhi, a cricket and football stadium will not be successful. I don’t advocate it, as the cricket pitch, which is at the center of the field, will get damaged during football matches.”

He also said that the seating capacity should be at least 60,000-65,000 – “Here (at Feroz Shah Kotla) there is a seating capacity for around 40,000 people. But it is not enough during international matches. Now that there is a plan to construct another cricket stadium, the capacity should be increased to at least 65,000 and above. The DDA should rope in people associated with cricket while planning the facility.”

The sports facility located at Dwarka’s sector 19B has been in the planning stages for several years now. The DDA also plans to construct a sports facility at Narela (New Delhi), another sub-City planned by it.

DDA officials said that the entire cost of the project will be recovered from the sale of commercial property which will be developed on the site. According to the tender, the commercial property will be developed on 35 percent of the area while the sports facility will come up on the remaining 65 percent area.

A senior DDA official said the sports facility will be completed within three years from the date of award of work.

Currently, the DDA has 15 sports complexes, including Siri Fort, Commonwealth Games Village, two golf courses at Bhalswa and near Qutub Enclave, and three mini-sports stadiums in various parts of the City. The land-owning agency has also developed 21 open gyms in green areas.

Dwarka is one of the three planned sub-Cities or urban extensions (in addition to Rohini and Narela) developed by the DDA.

Rejimon CK, Member and Founder of Dwarka Forum (an association of Dwarka RWAs), said that a new sports facility has been the residents’ long-pending demand – “We have just one sports complex in Sector 11, which is running beyond capacity. There has been an inordinate delay in developing this center, which was proposed when the sub-City was planned. Their main idea is not to provide sports facilities to people and aspiring sportspersons but to monetize the land. There is no need to develop the facility on a PPP basis.”

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