Work begins to set up first trap-shooting range of West UP
The first trap-shooting range in western UP will be established in Nangla Pattu village of Gangol area of the Meerut district.
Meerut divisional commissioner Surendra Singh said that chief minister Yogi Adityanath wanted to develop sports facilities in the region, and therefore, sanctioned a sports university in Meerut along with a shooting range, a Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre and a mini stadium in the district.
Reviewing the construction of these facilities recently, he directed the sub divisional magistrate (SDM) and Divisional forest officer (DFO) to present a report about availability of land required after visiting the proposed site.
“A range for trap-shooting needs a bigger area in order to contain splinters of fired bullets within the walls of the range and the jungle area of village Nangla Pattu seems quite suitable for it,” he said.
Singh said that the region has given many national and international fame trap-shooters and it’s quite popular in the area, but unfortunately, these players have to travel to Delhi and other places for training because no range of trap shooting is available in West UP.
Regional sports officer G D Bareek said that a trap range requires over 3 hectare land and the SDM is expected to provide his report soon so that the project can start. Commenting on the ownership of land, DFO Rajesh Kumar said that the designated land belongs to the revenue department. Therefore, the district administration has the authority to decide about its availability.
Meerut had a range for trapshooting under the aegis of Meerut District Rifle Association (MDRA) near village Palhera. Shooting at this range stopped in 2016 after builders constructed colonies around it and residents of these colonies filed a case in the Allahabad high court. Shooters now have to travel to Delhi, Jaipur and Patiala to train.
MDRA’s range in-charge Vedpal Singh said that the region has given many international and national players of trap and skeet-shooting which includes Mohd Asab, Ryan Rizvi, Anwar Rizwi, Anant Pratap Singh, Shardul Vihan, Shapath Bhardwaj, Sanya Sheikh, Hamza Sheikh and Anubhav Pratap Singh.
Singh claimed that it would be the first trap-shooting range in western UP established by the state government and anticipated that it could be the turning point for further growth of trapshooting in the state. “Many players are deprived of training because they can’t afford frequent travel and stay in Delhi, Jaipur and Patiala. Availability of range at their doorstep will provide them an opportunity to undergo hassle-free training,” said Singh, who has been providing training to shooters for over three decades.
Availability of range at their doorstep will provide them (shooters) an opportunity to undergo hassle-free training VEDPAL SINGH , in-charge MDRA’s range
Meanwhile, the commissioner has also directed that a detailed project report of the sports university be prepared, which would be set up in the Daurala area of the district.
“We have an available budget of Rs 10 crore, which could be utilised to start work. Later, more funds will be provided,” he said. The commissioner has also directed officials to earmark land for construction of a mini stadium in Kharlhauda and a SAI centre in the district.