Shooters face hurdle of “big potholes” to reach range
LUCKNOW: Vikram Tyagi and his wife were surprised to see the “pathetic conditions” of the road connecting Nadarganj shooting range from the main road opposite Amausi airport on Sunday. They along with their shooter kid took almost 45 minutes to reach the venue for the training session for the 44th (Small Bore) State Shooting Championship which officially began on Sunday evening.
The Tyagi family wasn’t alone to face this “crisis”. This remained the story of all 300 shooters and their family members for yet another time even as the range is a property of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) since 2008 and has been needing adequate facility of road since its inception.
“For sure, one can reach the main road from Charbagh railway station in 10 minutes but one takes at least 45 minutes or so to cover the 3.5-km stretch to reach the venue as the single road is full of big potholes and is in pathetic condition,” said another shooter’s father on condition of anonymity.
“When I came to this venue almost five years back, the condition of the road was same. I was expecting a change this time but I was disappointed,” he said, adding, “That’s why all shooters in the state prefer to compete somewhere else. The range is of top quality but reaching there is big task for all of us.”
One of the former national shooters too expressed his unhappiness over the pathetic condition of the road which connects the Nadarganj shooting range. “Only recently, CM Yogi announced the setting up of international standard shooting range, including one at Lucknow, and such is the condition here in Nadarganj,” he said.
He further said that was why the UP State Rifle Association preferred to conduct even the state championships at Tuglaqabad’s shooting range in Delhi. “That’s the best place for shooters in India and in the past, many state championships of UP took place there. This is why that no one wants to come to Nadarganj because of its pathetic approach road,” he said on Sunday.
On Sunday, more than 300 children practised on 50-metre rifle, 50-metre pistol, 25-metre pistol, air rifle and air pistol range. “All arrangements for the successful conduct of the championship have been completed,” UP State Rifle Association’s secretary GS Singh said.
AMBER SHINES
Four goals by Amber Pratap Singh helped Commercial Challengers crush Personal Warriors by 7-1 in the opening match of the North Eastern Railway’s Inter-Departmental Football Tournament, at the Aishbagh Stadium here on Sunday. Saurabh Singh also played well, and scored the remaining three goals. Vinod Yadav scored the solitary goal for the losers.
The second match of the day between Security Hunters and Operating Avengers ended in 2-2 draw. For Security Hunters, Praveen Mishra and Neeraj Singh scored a goal each, whereas Afzal netted a brace for the operating Avengers.
OFFICE CRICKET
The 3rd Inter Office Cricket Tournament is going to be held here under the auspices of the Panthers Cricket Academy. The participating teams, include PNB, PWD, SGPGI (Doctors), SGPGI (Staff), LOCO, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, High Court Advocate, HCLT, Tata Motors, TCS, Georgian Doctors and Mariners.