Delayed Berhampur stadium may finally see the light of the day

The hope of completion of the Berhampur stadium after more than two decades of its inauguration has brightened as the land under defence possession adjacent to the incomplete stadium has been recognised as land of State revenue department.

This was revealed during visit of Odisha sports and youth affairs secretary Saswat Mishra to the Berhampur stadium on Wednesday to review progress of developmental projects taken up at the stadium. Accompanied by Ganjam district collector, P.C. Choudhary, Mr Mishra also held discussions with the representative of defence department.

Berhampur tahsildar, Rashmi Ranjan Nayak said it has been authenticated that as per the records the land adjacent to the incomplete Berhampur stadium is of State revenue department. But it is under possession of defence department since past few decades. The defence department has agreed to vacate this land with allocation of similar land and other required facilities at some other place.

It may be noted that although Berhampur stadium was envisioned as a major sports centre of Odisha it is still incomplete even after 22 years of its inauguration. A total of 17.68 acres of land had been earmarked for this stadium cum sport complex. But out of it 9.183 acres of land was under possession of defence department. On this land patch there are residential quarters of NCC officials and a hospital. Since long there was doubt whether the land under defence possession was that of State revenue department or it was of defence department. Now this ambiguity has been settled as the records confirm that it is land of State revenue department under possession of defence department.

The incomplete Berhampur stadium now has three galleries, two basket ball courts, two dressing rooms, a volleyball court, a soccer and athletic field. With addition of extra land for its completion it would have two more galleries, a swimming pool, gymnasium and other facilities to conduct major sports events