MCC Going Ahead with Work on Indoor Kabaddi Stadium In Spite of Residents Opposition
Mangaluru: On one side there has been opposition from the residents in that area and few other citizens stating that the portion of the Karavali ground has been a facility for them to use for their morning/evening walks, and also that many play cricket/football there, but on the other hand The Mangaluru City Corporation is going ahead with the construction of an indoor Kabaddi stadium on a part of the Karavali Exhibition Grounds at Lalbagh, Mangaluru despite opposition from this group of residents who feel the stadium will take away an open space in their vicinity.
It is learnt that the District Amateur Kabaddi Association was demanding for long that a stadium be built for aspiring Kabbadi players following which the corporation began preparations on the space earmarked for athletes who compete in events at the adjoining Mangala Stadium, for warming up. Residents of the area have been using this part of the ground for morning walk, to play cricket and football.
Association secretary and Kabaddi coach Purushottam Poojary had said that the stadium would come up on a 60 m by 25 m land at the ground adjoining the U.S. Mallya Indoor Stadium. “This is the place earmarked for Kabaddi and we have held district-level Kabaddi meets. A much-needed indoor practice facility is being created here. Though the district has good State and national level Kabaddi players in the junior and senior levels, they lack training facility. “We have purchased mats using funds from three legislators. But there is no space for us to use them,” Poojary had opined.
In the meantime, MCC Councillor Praveenchandra Alva, who is the chairman of the Standing Committee on Town Planning and Improvement, said that the corporation is spending Rs 1.30 crore plus on the stadium. But a group of residents led by Karavali Cricket Friends and Morning Walking Group who have opposed the move, have submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil, since they feel that with the construction of the stadium, residents would lose the only open space in the vicinity.
MCC Mayor Bhasker K speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “Under no circumstances we will withdraw this plan, since a Kabaddi Stadium in the City is the need of the hour since the game is getting popular here. And also that Rs 1.35 crores has been already earmarked for this project, we have to carry forward with the plan. The Kabaddi stadium will only acquire a portion of the Karavali ground, and there is enough space for the morning walkers or cricket players, even after the Indoor stadium is completed. We can’t withdraw this project just because a few residents are against it”.