PANAJI
In signs that stadiums and infrastructure built by the State government with Central funds ostensibly for the long overdue National Games are proving a handful for the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) to maintain, the autonomous body has called for proposals from private players to manage the Shyamaprasad Mukherjee indoor stadium for 10 years.
Sources in the Sports ministry said the call for 'Request for Proposal' sought from private players for a 'license to operate' the Shyamaprasad Mukherjee stadium on the Taleigao plateau could be a template which will be followed for other such sports infrastructure across the State.
The SAG has asked for a 10-year deal to manage the stadium both for maintenance as well as administering its use for sports as well as other revenue generating activities.
This particular stadium was constructed way back in 2014 on land belonging to the Goa University which continues to be its 'owner'. A couple of disciplines of the third edition of the Lusofonia Games were hosted there that year.
Some other stadiums and infrastructure built with a view to host the National Games is also lying mostly unused and are becoming quite a handful for the SAG to manage.
Initially, delay in completing the infrastructure had been the main reason for delay in hosting the games and the State was on the verge of losing its hosting rights for the prestigious games when the pandemic hit.
The 37th edition of the Games was originally slated to be held in Goa in November 2016.
