BDFA stadium to get facelift

“At its recent Executive Council meeting, the AIFF passed a resolution to upgrade the Bangalore Football stadium to international standards,” said vice-president AR Khaleel at a felicitation function to honour the Karnataka under-19 and under-16 teams here on Sunday.

“After the Karnataka State government promised Rs 5 crore towards stadium upgradation last November, the AIFF decided to fund the remaining cost of the project which will change the face of the stadium. In order to oversee the project, a high-power committee has been formed,” added Khaleel, also the president of the Karnataka State Football Association.
The committee will be headed by AIFF president Praful Patel. The project, which has been estimated at Rs 15 crore, includes roofing, permanent seating and construction of modern dressing rooms. Bangalore’s Viswanath Rao will be the architect.

“This project will go on simultaneously with FIFA’s Goal India Project that includes construction of an academy and laying of artificial turf. By the end of 2012, I expect all the work to be complete,” said Khaleel.

The KSFA presented each member of the under-19 squad with Rs 10,000 for winning the Dr BC Roy Trophy in January. Every player in the under-16 squad, which emerged runners-up in the Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy, received a cash award of Rs 5,000.