By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for construction of a new football stadium at Mawdiangdiang is being delayed owing to the magnitude of the project, it was informed on Sunday.
Commissioner and Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs DP Wahlang, while speaking to The Shillong Times, said the department is still working on the DPR and it would take some more months before the report is ready.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, had, last year asserted that the DPR would be completed by March this year. It is learnt that the State Government has already acquired 80 acres of land belonging to the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority, which would be handed over to the Sports department for the construction of the mega stadium.
An amount of Rs 70 crore has been fixed for the first phase of the construction and the amount would be escalated further for the second phase of the project.
Meanwhile, Wahlang has informed that the seating capacity of the stadium would be around forty thousand.
“The proposed stadium would be much bigger than JN Stadium and it would have all state-of-the-art facilities,” Wahlang added.
The State Government is also exploring the possibility of setting up a sports academy at the site, it was further informed.
The proposal for the new stadium, which would host national events like the National Games and other international sports meet, was conceived by the State Government last year.