Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 23: Much to the annoyance of sports lovers, the Iqbal Stadium in the Dragbal area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has been unplayable for the past one year due to delayed restoration work.
Sports enthusiasts told the Daily Excelsior that the authorities began restoration work around May last year. The project, which included earth filling and levelling of the outfield, was supposed to improve playing conditions. Instead, it has left the field with an uneven, loose layer of soil, making it unfit for play. “The ground looks like an agricultural field today, forcing players to move to other places, covering long distances for sports activities,” Zubair Ahmad, a local resident, said.
Ahmad added that they approached the contractors several times to speed up the work, but the process has been delayed for unknown reasons, with authorities turning a blind eye to the issue. “The contractor had said the ground would be handed over to the youth in March, but that did not happen. Then he assured us it would be finished by April, but the ground is still incomplete,” Ahmad said.
Local cricketer Jahangir Ahmad lamented that the earth filling work began in the midst of a tournament with a promise of completion in a few days, but that never happened, halting the tournament. “We had reached the semifinals, which are yet to be played because the groundwork never finished,” he said.
Residents pointed out that the ground caters to nearly ten villages and is crucial for youth engagement in productive activities. “We have a lot of youth indulging in negative things like drugs, and this space was crucial in keeping them engaged in positive activities. An indifferent administration has snatched this from the youth,” said another local.
Sports enthusiasts and residents from neighbouring areas appealed to LG Manoj Sinha to intervene and help the youth regain their playing field. “The administration emphasizes sports and even provides funds for their improvement. But those who execute the work make a mockery of every initiative that the Government starts. We want the administration to take strong action on this issue,” locals said.
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