Ambedkar statue puts leisure arena on hold

HMDA need government’s nod to begin both projects

The proposed sports-cumleisure entertainment arena on Necklace Road has been put on hold, as the government has not given any clarity on whether or not it was locating the 125-feet bronze statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar at the site.

The arena was planned on an 1.8-acre site beside Sanjeevaiah Park and P.V. Narasimha Rao Gyan Bhoomi. The site earlier housed a private tennis coaching centre whose lease ran out some time back.

An HMDA official said that even though the tenders were finalised to set up the sports arena it was waiting for the government’s decision on the Ambedkar statue.

If it gets the go-ahead for the sports arena, the HMDA has decided to float a new tender with the inclusion of more sports. Under the new plan, it would offer wired fencing, mini cricket ground, futsal court, indoor badminton courts, indoor laser vaults, laser games arena and a fitness club and many more.

The HMDA has finalised the private agency to take up the project for a period of five years and the minimum rent being quoted was `60 lakh per annum.

Highly placed sources in the HMDA said that the clash of the projects had delayed the sports arena. .

If the government chooses to have the statue in front of Gyan Bhoomi, the HMDA would shift the sports-cum-leisure arena to another location on Necklace Road. Both projects are on hold now.

However, HMDA commissioner T. Chiranjeevulu said they had already finalised the tenders and the work pertaining to the arena would begin in two months and would be completed in four months.

When asked about the delay, he said the private agency still has time.