Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 17: Mangala Stadium at Mannagudde, one of the district’s major sports venues, will remain closed for two months starting January as part of a planned initiative to upgrade and modernise its infrastructure.

The stadium, regarded as a prestigious sporting facility in the city, is equipped with a 400-metre synthetic track suitable for athletics events such as running competitions, long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin throw. It is recognised as being on par with Olympic-standard tracks and regularly hosts government and private sporting events, including tournaments organised by educational institutions and organisations from Mangaluru city and surrounding rural areas. During the closure period, such events will have to be shifted to alternative grounds.

Mangala Stadium (File photo)

Chief minister Siddaramaiah, during his visit to the city, had announced a grant of Rs 3 crore for the development of the stadium. It was subsequently mentioned in the state budget and decided that the allocated funds will be utilised for these works. Although the stadium’s revised rental structure was fixed only a few years ago and several basic infrastructure upgrades have since been undertaken, there is also a proposal under consideration to revise the rental charges further in the future.

The stadium, which evolved from what was once the Mannagudde ground several decades ago, has been a source of pride for Mangaluru for many years. In 2009, second-phase development works were carried out, including the installation of the synthetic track, after which the venue became a regular host for several state- and national-level athletics meets. While football, cricket and cultural programmes were held here earlier, athletics has been prioritised over the past 15 years following the construction of the track. The complex also includes toilets, dressing rooms, a main gallery and seating around the field, with a spectator capacity of over 20,000, in addition to a sports hostel, indoor stadium and swimming pool nearby.

Officials have indicated that most inter-institutional sports meets conducted at the stadium will conclude by the end of December. Though a few medical college tournaments are still pending and may face venue constraints, government employees’ sports meets scheduled for the end of this month or early January are not expected to be affected.

In view of the closure, alternative venues such as the district police ground, University College ground, Panambur ground, Swaraj ground at Moodbidri and the Mangaluru University sports ground at Konaje have been identified as possible options.

It has been conveyed that top priority will be given to repairing the synthetic track, which currently has depressions in several places causing inconvenience to athletes. Numerous representations had been received in this regard, following which senior state-level officials from the sports department recently inspected the facility. Along with track repairs, a proper drainage system around the stadium will also be developed.

It has further been indicated that since major sporting events at the stadium will have concluded by then, the two-month closure from January is unlikely to cause any major disruption.