Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: The iconic Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Stadium in Delhi is set to be "dismantled" and turned into a Sports City that will cater to all major sporting disciplines and include lodging facilities for athletes and the conduct of events, a sports ministry source said on Monday.
A plan to completely rebuild the 102-acre area of the stadium has been proposed, but the timeline for the project has not yet been worked out. Sports cities in Qatar and Australia are being assessed as reference models for the mega project.
"The stadium will be dismantled. All offices inside the stadium, including the National Anti-Doping Agency and the National Dope Testing Laboratory, will be relocated," the ministry source told PTI.
Sports City comprises a multi-disciplinary facility with world-class infrastructure for not just training but also the organisation of major events.
Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Complex is one such example in India, having facilities for cricket, aquatics, tennis and athletics among others.
The plan to create a sports city in the national capital is part of India's efforts to host major global sporting events. India is all but certain to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games after the government formally presented a proposal to host the event to the Evaluation Committee of Commonwealth Sport in London.
India also plans to host the 2036 Olympic Games. Earlier this year, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), led by President P T Usha, submitted a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 2036 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The bid underlines India's ambition to be recognised in the international sports arena.
According to the officials, the proposed JLN sports city will act as a platform for training athletes and hosting top-tier global competitions in the coming years.
Built ahead of the ninth Asian Games in 1982, the JLN Stadium holds a special place in India's sporting history. The historic venue underwent a massive overhaul ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, equipping it with state-of-the-art facilities. Recently, a world-class mondotrack was installed at the stadium ahead of India's first-ever World Para Athletics Championships 2025.
