Olympic Academy to come up within 18 months, says Minister KN Nehru
Sports facilities will come up in an area of 50 acres at Elandapatti near Tiruverumbur
Ministers KN Nehru, Anbil Mahesh along with Tiruchy Collector M Pradeep Kumar at stone laying ceremony
TIRUCHY: The Olympic Academy, Tiruchy, under the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) would come up in an area of 50 acres at Elandapatti near Tiruverumbur in two phases with all facilities which would be completed within 18 months, said the State Minister KN Nehru on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters the minister KN Nehru said that Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin had already laid the foundation stone for the Olympic Academy and presently, the ceremony has been organised to reveal the works for the academy has commenced.
“The academy would come up in an area of 50 acres of land at Elandapatti near Tiruverumbur which would facilitate training in all sorts of track and field events,” the minister said.
He also said that a fund of Rs 40 crore has been sanctioned to complete phase 1, which is expected to be ready in 18 months after the commencement of the works.
Phase 1 would have a football field and a 400m running track around it. This apart, indoor sports blocks for basketball, badminton, and volleyball would be developed.
Similarly, a swimming pool, a hockey pitch, an academic block to conduct classroom sessions for sportspersons a block with 100 classrooms would be established, a gymnasium, a 400-metre eight-lane synthetic track, separate allocations for taekwondo, karate, boxing and fencing an administrative complex, and dormitories for athletes would also be established.
Galleries for spectators with 1,000 seating capacity, a parking space, paved roads, drainage infrastructure, security arrangements, and toilet complexes are also included in phase I.
Meanwhile, phase 2 would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore which would have hostel facilities for men and women, a canteen, VIP rooms, a synthetic hockey ground, four basketball courts, four volleyball courts, two throwball courts, four tennis courts, cricket ground, a velodrome for track cycling, gallery and open-air theatre.
Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, District Collector M Pradeep Kumar, District Sports Officer Suganthi and others were present.