SHILLONG, Jan 28: Should the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Polo be reserved for high-stakes football matches only or should international rock concerts be hosted at the stadium? That’s a million-dollar question that the Meghalaya government is finding difficult to answer.
Renovated at a cost of over Rs 50 crore, the JN Stadium has already earned praise for its upgraded facilities after successfully hosting the prestigious Durand Cup.
However, concerns about the stadium’s turf arose after a section of the field was damaged during the Bryan Adams concert on December 10 last year.
According to sources, a grass protector was installed on the football turf during the concert, but a patch of the ground was still damaged. The issue reportedly stemmed from a 5,000-litre water tank placed in the area during the event, which left the turf in poor condition.
Efforts have since been made to restore the damaged patch. Re-seeding has been carried out, fertilizers have been applied, and grass has started to regrow. Despite these recovery measures, the damaged turf is yet to completely heal, raising concerns about its readiness for upcoming events.
The immediate challenge is the scheduling clash between two major events at the JN Stadium. The Indian Super League (ISL) is set to debut in Shillong, with NorthEast United FC hosting Mumbai City FC on February 7. Just five days later, British musician Ed Sheeran is scheduled to perform at the same venue on February 12.
Adding to the pressure, the stadium is also slated to host two international football matches in March. Shillong will host an AFC Asian Cup qualifying match between India and Bangladesh on March 25, preceded by a match between India and the Maldives on March 19 or 20.
The government is now caught in a dilemma. On one hand, it must accommodate a large-scale musical event expected to draw thousands of enthusiastic fans, while on the other, it needs to preserve the turf for the football matches for which the stadium was originally built.
With no alternative venue available for hosting musical events, the government is compelled to use the JN Stadium for both sports and entertainment. This dual-purpose use of a facility renovated at great public expense has raised questions about the long-term sustainability of such an approach.
