Foundation stone laid for Olympic-level sports centre in Ahmedabad

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the new international sports complex in Naranpura area of Ahmedabad city on Sunday.

The ambitious project will be completed in the next 30 months on 20.39 acres of land at a cost of Rs 631.77 crore. The infrastructure boasts of an aquatic stadium, centre for sports excellence, community sports centre, indoor multipurpose hall and a fit India Zone. The facility will provide training in different Olympic sports.

Speaking on this occasion, Shah thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allocating the requisite funds for this ambitious project. He said that this world-class complex will boost the sports and athletics activities for the children and youngsters.

He said that Sardar Patel Sports Complex near Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium at Motera and other such facilities will also help organise international sports events like Olympics in Ahmedabad. Shah said that the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency represented by him will be the most developed constituency in the country by 2024.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sports and Youth Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also spoke on this occasion.

"This is a sporting facility at par with Olympic training centres in the world and this has been possible owing to the vision of Honourable Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi and the efforts of Shri. Amit Shah," Speaking on the occasion Thakur said.

Notably, in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics six women athletes from Gujarat represented India after a gap of 61 years and training facilities like this one will only strengthen the identification and nurturing of sporting talent further.