THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
The Shiv Sena (UBT) Goa unit has issued a stern warning to gherao the Director of Sports if the jogging track at Dayanand Bandodkar Krida Sankool, Peddem, is not reopened to the public after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
The party has also demanded immediate improvements to the swimming pool facilities at the stadium.
President of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Jitesh Kamat raised concerns over the prolonged closure of the jogging track, which has been inaccessible to the public for over a year-and-half due to ongoing maintenance.
Kamat stated that the extended closure has caused significant inconvenience to regular joggers and fitness enthusiasts who rely on the track for their daily exercise routines.
"The community is increasingly frustrated with the lack of transparency and updates regarding the timeline for reopening," Kamat said while submitting a memorandum to the stadium in-charge at Peddem, Mapusa.
Kamat also highlighted serious issues regarding the renovation of the swimming pool, claiming that substandard materials were used during the renovation, leading to safety hazards.
"Tiles are broken in several areas, posing a serious risk and causing injuries to swimmers, including lifeguards and trainers. The tiles in the changing rooms are ordinary and not anti-skid, leading to slips and falls," he added.
The swimming pool at Peddem is regularly used by professional swimmers, trainees, students, and athletes participating in Khelo India events.
The poor condition of the facilities, coupled with restricted access due to time constraints, has led to growing dissatisfaction among users.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) delegation, which included Sushant Pawaskar, Mehboob Nalban, Zygal Lobo, and Vandana Chavan, expressed hope that the authorities would address these concerns promptly.
They urged immediate action to restore the jogging track and swimming pool to safe and usable conditions.
Additionally, Kamat pointed out the contradiction between the Centre's push for digital payments and the sports complexes’ insistence on cash-only transactions, noting that this policy extends to some departments, including information technology.
The memorandum submitted by the Shiv Sena (UBT) calls for urgent resolution of the issues.
