Success stories push DDA to upgrade sports facilities
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has planned to upgrade its sporting facilities and introduce several measures for their optimal utilisation to promote local talents.
The DDA, buoyed by the success of athletes practising at its facilities, particularly at the Siri Fort Sports Complex, will allow neighbourhood schools to use its amenities and grounds for the proper grooming of budding talent. “Several athletes trained here have made it big at the international level. Except for the morning and evening shifts, facilities at Siri Fort and other locations remain unutilised in the day for four hours. We want local children to have access to these facilities so that they get better training options,” said D Sarkar, commissioner (sports), DDA.
Tennis players Yuki Bhambri and his sister Ankita Bhambri, Karman Kaur Thandi and shooter Devanshi Rana have trained at Siri Fort while cricket captain Virat Kohli used DDA’S Hari Nagar sports complex.
Sarkar said DDA’S sports complexes were originally built for recreational purposes but given the amount of talent they produced in the recent years, it has planned their upgrade such as resurfacing of football and tennis turfs. “The sports management board headed by Delhi L-G, who is also the chairman of DDA, has approved covering of playfields (football and hockey) and tennis courts with synthetic turf of international standards. After one match, the ground or court become dust bowls. But with synthetic turfs, continuous matches can be played,” he said.
The DDA owns and runs 13 sports complexes, one mini sports complex, 13 swimming pools, and a golf course at Lado Sarai.
The complex at Siri Fort next to next to the Asian Games village is biggest among all with 11,000 members having access to different facilities every day.
Set up in 1989, it has arenas for 24 different disciplines such as tennis, swimming, football, cricket and shooting. It has produced several internationally acclaimed athletes.
Devanshi Rana, who recently won two gold medals in the World Junior Shooting Championship held Sydney in March, also practises here.
The shooting range at Siri Fort, refurbished about a year ago, has 15 bays and is fitted with state-of-the-art equipments. At present, 83 members (from 8 to 60 years) practice here every day.
“I have learnt nuances of the games here as I have been coming to Siri Fort range since my childhood. It is an ideal place for beginners. I practice here for five-six hours every day,” said Rana.