State-run sports facilities in Delhi to be open till 10pm, says Kejriwal
HT Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday directed all sports facilities run by the Delhi government to stay open for sportspersons till 10pm to allow athletes more time for practice.
“It has come to my notice that sportspersons are facing problems because of the heat and the stadiums get closed by 6 or 7pm. We are issuing instructions that all sports facilities should remain open till 10pm so that sportsperson can use them,” Kejriwal told reporters on Thursday.
The move came after The Indian Express reported athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium have been complaining about being forced to wrap up training earlier than usual for bureaucrat Sanjeev Khirwar to walk his dog at the facility. The report went viral on social media and triggered outrage even as the newspaper said that Khirwar rejected the allegation as “absolutely incorrect”.
Khirwar did not respond to HT’S requests seeking comment.
A 1994-batch IAS officer of AGMUT cadre, Khirwar was Delhi’s principal secretary (revenue) and principal secretary of the urban development department. He was transferred to Ladakh on Thursday evening.
Tagging the report, Sisodia tweeted: “News reports have brought to our notice that certain sports facilities are being closed early causing inconvenience to sportsmen who wish to play till late night. CM Arvind Kejriwal
has directed that all Delhi govt sports facilities to stay open for sportsmen till 10pm.”
Coaches and sportspersons on Thursday said they were facing problems due to the facility being closed early.
Rakesh Yadav, an athletics coach, said, “Thyagraj Stadium is shut for Delhi state and nationallevel athletes. We have spoken to the administrator so many times but they allow only school children.”
He said after the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium opened last year in August, they were told to train there. “After many requests, they gave us only an hour before the state meet in September,” said Yadav, who also trains his athletes at the JLN Stadium.
Bipin Kumar, another athletics coach, said “I train around 30 athletes and several of them have won medals at the state and national level. If you don’t allow your own state athletes to train, where will they go?” he said.
Rohit Kumar (21), a Khelo India University bronze medallist in 5,000m said only a limited number of athletes were allowed, that too for an hour in the morning. “Before the Delhi state meet last year, after several requests, we were permitted to train on the synthetic track for an hour in the morning,” said Kumar.
A long-distance runner, who asked not to be named, said athletes were asked to leave the stadium by 7pm. “We are charged ₹300 per month to train at Thyagraj but are not given time despite that,” he said.
An official said the government is looking into the matter.