KOA unveils ambitious project

Plans underway to build state-of-the-art 'Sports City' in three years

The Karnataka Olympic Association (KOA) on Sunday unveiled their plans to build a state-of-the-art ‘Sports City’ on the outskirts of Bangalore in at least three years time.

KOA president K Govindaraj, speaking after the association’s Annual General Body Meeting, said he had spoken to the Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs K
Abhayachandra Jain and it is likely that the project will get under way soon.

“We have identified land near Chikkaballapur, Kolar and on Mysore Road  -- all within 80km of the city,” he said. “We want it to be of  international standard, minimum 40 to 50 acres in area, with  facilities for all sports,” Govindaraj said of the project that will be built on a Public Private Partnership model.

“We do not want the government to spend any money on the project, except providing us with land,” he said.

Govindaraj also hoped the State government would approve grants for sports and he said he had spoken to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the issue.

“The budget did not have any specific announcement but the CM has promised to look into it in the supplementary budget presentation,” Govindaraj said. “The Home Minister (KJ George) has listened to our request for jobs in the police department and we also spoke to the Housing Minister (MH Ambareesh) with regards to houses and plots for some of the athletes. We also need to upgrade the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. It’s in a pathetic condition.”

Govindaraj added that he has asked the chief minister to increase the grant for the velodrome project in Bijapur from four crore to six, and also to host State Olympic Games once every two years.

 Earlier, at the AGM, five new bodies were inducted into the KOA -- the State Wushu, Riding, Netball, and Kho-Kho associations and Hockey Karnataka -- to take the total number of units to 23. An amendment was also approved to form district Olympic associations, pending approval from the Registrar of Societies. KOA had earlier done away with district Olympic Associations.

KOA also felicitated Indian hockey star SV Sunil. The local lad, who was away on international duty during the KOA award ceremony last year, was presented with a memento and a certificate.