Eyeing to host Olympics, Ahmedabad body issues tender for infrastructure proposals

The development comes barely three months after inauguration of refurbished Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, earlier known as Motera Cricket Stadium. Credit: DH photo

In a bid to "engage with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for potentially hosting a future edition of the Summer Olympics in India," the Ahmedabad urban development authority has issued a tender notice, inviting proposals from consultants for assessing sports and non-sports venues in the city. Officials said that they have the 2036 Olympics in their target to host in Ahmedabad.

The notice issued by Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) has invited proposals for "technically sound and experienced consulting engineering firms for Appointment of Technical Assistance (TA) Consultant/Agency for the Assessment of Sports & non Sports venues & City infrastructure for Hosting the Olympic Games..." The notice was published in newspapers on Tuesday.

In the E-Bid Document Request for Proposal (RFP), running into 55 pages, the AUDA has stated that the IOC "initiated the Olympic Agenda 2020 reform programme in 2014 with an objective to safeguard the Olympics values and strengthen the role of sports in society. Over the course of the next six years, all Olympic Movement stakeholders actively contributed to realise the recommendations of the Olympic Agenda 2020. The Olympic Games up to 2028 have been allotted and the process for allotment of 2032 is under progress with Brisbane being the frontrunner."

In the introduction of the RFP, the AUDA has mentioned some key points required "to engage with the IOC for potentially hosting a future edition of the Summer Olympics in India." These key points are "Reviewing long-term regional development plans of Ahmedabad Region to host Olympics in partnership with key stakeholders and its alignment to a potential Olympic candidature, assess the potential for hosting a future edition of the Summer Olympics with regards to the sports venues (competition and training); non-sports venues (games village, hotels, international broadcast compound, media and press centre, accreditation centre) and city infrastructure (transport, power, sanitation etc.), collate preliminary high-level budgets for hosting the games and provide overall Project Management Support related to early planning and documentation."

The development comes barely three months after inauguration of refurbished Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, earlier known as Motera Cricket Stadium, by president Ram Nath Kovind and union home minister Amit Shah. At the event, they had also laid the foundation stone of Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, which was hailed to be the largest multi-sports facility in the country. On the occasion, Shah had said that this facility would turn Ahmedabad into a "sports city" and help it to host international sporting events such as Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. The construction of the enclave would cost Rs 4,600 crore.