Land hunt begins for stadium in Gaya

GAYA: Land hunt for a 25 acre plot has begun for construction of a mega state-of-the-art stadium with synthetic turf and other facilities in Gaya. The stadium is estimated to cost about Rs100 crore.

District magistrate Abhishek Singh said the land was the only issue for the stadium. “Once a suitable plot of land is available, the government will provide funds for the multi-purpose stadium,” said the DM.

Virtually ruling out stadium construction near the Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) premises on Panchanpur village, the DM said the place is too far from Gaya town and as such the very purpose of its establishment will be defeated.

“The purpose is to promote sports culture, provide international standard facilities to sports persons for training and skill development and make the place capable of hosting sport events of national and international standard,” the DM said.

Locals said that Panchanpur used to have a large air strip developed during the Second World War. The 800 acre area stood abandoned since the end of the world war. Old timers recall that refugees from erstwhile east Pakistan (present Bangladesh) were accommodated in makeshift tents erected on the land in 1971. The defence ministry which owns the land transferred 300 acres for establishment of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB). The remaining 500 acres is slated to be available for public use.

Asked about the availability of land in Bhusunda on the eastern outskirts of Gaya town, the DM said enough land was not available there.

Courtesy: TNN