Sports enthusiasts and locals in Punjab, India, are raising the alarm over the old synthetic turf surface that was replaced last year during an upgrade of the Prithipal Singh hockey stadium. The old surface is still lying unused in the open near the venue, but nobody appears to be willing to take responsibility for it.
The turf has been cut into four sections, which could be used to create practice and training areas. However, nine months since its removal, the old turf lies out in the open, exposed to the elements near the stadium. This affects the quality of the surface and reduces the chances of it being repurposed later on.
When approached by the Tribune newspaper, Kuldeep Chugh, district sports officer, said the matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the district office. He said the decision regarding the allocation and installation of the removed turf would be taken by the directorate of sports, Chandigarh.
‘The directorate will access the requirements and take an appropriate decision,” Chugh said, and added that more details about the location and timeline depend on directions from state headquarters.
Waste of sports infrastructure
Hockey enthusiasts termed this a “waste of valuable sports infrastructure.” They said that even if the turf was no longer suitable for high-level competitions, it could serve as a training surface, particularly for grassroots development programmes, the Tribune reported.
“A practice turf does not require the same standards as a competition surface. It could have benefitted hundreds of young players. Leaving it unattended risks further deterioration and raises questions about accountability and long-term infrastructure planning,” a sports enthusiast said.
According to officials familiar with the procedures, reinstalling the turf would require identification of suitable sites and base preparation before levelling, cutting and relaying of sections. A final safety inspection would also be needed before use. They say the entire process would take several months.
Hardeep Singh Grewal, president, Hockey Ludhiana, said if reuse was a part of the initial proposal, proper budgeting, timelines and accountability mechanisms should have been established to ensure its implementation.
“The city being a key sports hub in the state, stakeholders feel optimal use of facilities is crucial for the promotion of hockey and other field sports at the grassroots. The continued neglect of the turf sends the wrong message regarding sustainable management of public assets,” said Grewal.
Sukhwinder Singh, chairperson, Ludhiana sports welfare association, and Ajay Pal Singh Punia, general secretary, Hockey Ludhiana, said authorities had replaced the turf to upgrade facilities and provide better playing conditions for the players.
Col JS Gill, former national-level hockey player, and Jagroop Singh Jarkhar, chief organiser, Jarkhar Hockey Academy, said the authorities could go about using the turf in multiple ways, such as allocating portions to government schools lacking synthetic surfaces or transferring it to rural sports centres where even a used synthetic surface would significantly improve playing conditions.