PSB finally decides to lay new tartan track at Karachi centre

KARACHI: After a wait of more than a decade, the tartan track at PSB-owned National Coaching Centre is going to be replaced and the 10 percent remaining development work at the boxing gymnasium is going to be completed, ‘The News’ learnt on Tuesday.

Under the leadership of Asif Zaman, the new DG, PSB has decided to complete all delayed development projects at National Coaching centre in Karachi within the next few months.

The PSB has invited bids for laying the new track.

The PSB owned National Sports Training and Coaching Center (NSTCC) in Karachi has been neglected for many years by successive governments.

Informed sources said that newly appointed DG would visit the centre after Eid-ul-Fitr to examine all the necessities.

The existing track was laid way back in 1996. It was supposed to be replaced after 16 years, but was not due to lack of funds, lethargic attitude of PSB officials.

The IPC minister Dr Fahmida Mirza was also concerned at the delay of these projects, and has directed the officials concerned to complete them. She visited the centre when rainwater entered the centre last year, and damaged its various parts.

The private sector had also been involved by the PTI led government to resolve the issues at the centre but the move did not help.

It has to be mentioned that PSB earns around Rs5 million annually by allowing private organisations the use of the facilities at the centre. Private education institutions and corporate sector use its facilities for their annual sports competitions.

The sources said that PSB’s new management realising the importance of these projects has decided to complete them.

The PSB management would also review the other development work required, especially its main gate which has been damaged twice due to heavy rains, the sources said.

The sources said that a new main gate might be installed and the boundary wall be built anew but it would be decided when the new PSB DG visited the centre.