New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) The iconic Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium in the national capital is all set for a major transformation, with plans underway to dismantle and rebuild it into a modern ‘Sports City’ that will cater to multiple sporting disciplines and include accommodation facilities for athletes, a Sports Ministry source confirmed on Monday.
Spread across 102 acres, the stadium complex will be completely redeveloped as part of a proposed mega project inspired by global models.
“The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi will be dismantled to create a new Sports City across 102 acres. The Sports Ministry plans to design it on the modern models of (sports cities in) Qatar and Australia,” the Sports Ministry source told IANS.
The redevelopment will require close coordination among multiple ministries and departments, including the Urban Development Ministry, suggesting that the project’s execution may take time to commence.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, built for the 1982 Asian Games, also serves as the headquarters of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and houses the Khelo India project office.
It underwent a major renovation ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games at a cost exceeding ₹900 crore, and most recently hosted the World Para Athletics Championships, which prompted another facelift and the installation of a world-class MONDO track — a high-performance surface known to reduce injury risks and enhance sprint speed.
Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya recently visited Doha, where he inspected Qatar’s renowned Sports City, spread over 617 acres, equipped with facilities for football, aquatics, and 13 indoor sports, as well as a specialised orthopedic and sports medicine hospital.
Closer to home, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, built at a cost of ₹4,600 crore and spread over 250 acres, stands as a domestic example of integrated sports infrastructure.
Delhi’s proposed Sports City aims to align with India’s broader sporting ambitions — the country is currently bidding to host the 2036 Olympic Games and is expected to be awarded the 2030 Commonwealth Games later this month.
Over the decades, the JLN Stadium has been a versatile venue — hosting athletics, football, and even two cricket ODIs in 1984 and 1991, before being deemed unsuitable for cricket by the ICC. It has also served as a stage for national and international concerts, making it a cultural landmark as much as a sporting one.
–IANS
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