Leaky Mangala Stadium Pavilion in Shambles- May Collapse If Not Rectified Soon
Mangaluru : Last year, in the month of August, while coaches and sports association members have demanded that the synthetic track be properly maintained and that repairs be carried out to the leaking roof of the spectators gallery/Pavilion at the Mangala Stadium, then in-charge Deputy Director of Youth and Sports Pradeep D’Souza said that there was no funds with the department to carry out maintenance and repair works at the stadium. These facts came to the fore during a visit to the stadium by Minister U.T. Khader, who asked official to approach organisations for funds. Khader was also shown the portions of the roof of the viewers gallery at the stadium that was coming off, and Athletes were not being allowed to the gallery for performing stretching and other exercises due to this.
With minister saying no funds for repairs and asking officials to raise funds to carry on with the repair work, and with no one taking any interest not the Mangala Stadium Pavilion is much more worse than it was a year ago, and when it rains it leaks badly. And it has become a threat to athletes and others whoa re engaged in sports activities. Plastering of the concrete slabs of the stadium pavilion has come off at many places and the department of sports has covered the entire roof of the pavilion with plastic sheets to prevent leaks. Now it is learnt that the government has decided to develop the complex through Mangaluru smart City Project.
Speaking to media now, Minister U T Khader said, “Earlier we had plans to repair the complex of the stadium using state funds, but a new proposal has been added in Smart City Project. Initially the cost to repair the complex was around Rs 30 lakh, however, now we have decided to construct a new complex through Smart City Funding. We have already held discussions with Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) and I have made suggestions to construct commercial complex on the available land on all sides of the stadium under Smart City Funding. The MSCL will check possibilities of constructing commercial complexes on three sides of the stadium and thereby create a permanent source of income for the development and maintenance of the stadium”.
Well said by the Minister, but the work in restoring the leaky roof of the pavilion need to be started soon, if not the entire complex is on the verge of collapsing, which would be extra expenses to rebuild the structure. Until then we will have to keep our fingers crossed, and wait, to see as to when the work will start on rectifying the leaky Mangala Stadium pavilion?
Watch the video of the leaky Stadium Pavilion :
