Jammu, Srinagar to get international level stadiums exclusively for cricket, football: Parra

Jammu, Nov 16: With an aim to promote sports activities in the state, Secretary Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council Waheed Ur Rehman Parra said that Jammu and Srinagar regions will have exclusive cricket and football stadiums equipped with international level facilities.      ''Both Jammu and Srinagar regions will have one stadium each exclusively for cricket and football for which the work has already begun,'' Mr Parra told UNI here on Thursday.      The Secretary Sports Council said, ''the existing Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu will be renovated and will have only cricket activities whereas the Kashmir located Bakshi Stadium will have modernised turf to promote football game.''      Mr Parra asserted that Council alongwith BCCI and Sports Authority of India is having a target of hosting international cricket match and an IPL match in Jammu while in Srinagar FIFA World Cup soccer match.      "The project has started and it has one year deadline," he added and said that Rs 50 crore each will be spent on the renovation and modernisation of stadiums in both the regions.

      "Once the project will be completed, the stadium will be looked after only by the BCCI with SAI as State Sports Council will only act as a service provider," he added and said that a step has been taken to make Jammu and Kashmir a hub of sports activities.      He said,"the games and sports being played in routine at the M A Stadium will be shifted to newly constructed Indoor Hall, which will soon be thrown open and existing Indoor Complex, which will further be upgraded."UNI