Turf Installation: Work on Bunda Hockey Ground may be delayed

ISLAMABAD: While the Pakistan Hockey Federation officials are in a deep nap amid COVID-19 fears, work on the installation of a new synthetic turf at the Bunda Ground could be unnecessarily delayed.

Work on the Rs100 million project has already begun. The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), which has Rs81 million for the project, is yet to release the amount for purchase of the turf or for preparation of its base and surrounding areas.

Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination’s (IPC) Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP), which is expected to meet on Thursday (tomorrow), will decide the course of action to be followed as the June 30 deadline for the project draws near.

A new turf at the Bunda Stadium is of utmost importance as it provides opportunity to the national players to train in a friendly atmosphere. With boarding and lodging facilities around, the site has been catering to the needs of players for almost 30 years.

In wake of no pursuance from the PHF, it is feared that the turf’s installation will face unnecessary delay. With the federation planning to host an eight-nation tournament later in the year, the site will provide the best platform for the probables to train.

It is hoped that all efforts would be made to complete the work within the next couple of months. Markets have started opening in Europe from where the turf is expected to be imported as travel embargo is expected to be lifted in May.

Another important point on the agenda of Thursday’s meeting is to decide on handing over all execution work on sports development to PWD. There is a big question mark over whether such a decision would be against the PSB’s constitution that allows it to decide these matters under PEPRA rules.

Both Pakistan Cricket Board and PSB came into existence under the Sports Control Ordinance in 1962, having same authority to execute development work. The PCB carries out all development work on its own and same is legally the case with the PSB.

One hopes that sanity would prevail and efforts would be made to decide all the matters according to the PSB constitution.

All efforts to contact Minister for IPC Dr Fehmida Mirza or IPC Secretary Mohammad Ali Shahzada to take their point of view went fruitless.