THRISSUR:
Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs E P Jayarajan, today launched the work of the I M Vijayan Indoor Stadium and Sports Complex at Laloor here today.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the ambitious project in Kerala’s cultural capital, Jayarajan said a sum of Rs 700 crore had been earmarked since the present government assumed office for development of sports infrastructure across the state. Apart from 14 district stadiums, as many as 54 similar projects had been launched in municipalities and panchayats in the length and breadth of the state, Jayarajan said.
These projects were drawn up with the larger goal of setting Kerala sports to soar new heights at the national and international arena, the Minister said.
The stadium, being developed in honour of eminent footballer I M Vijayan who hails from Thrissur, has been planned as part of the Government’s policy of developing sports infrastructure across the state, to support sporting aspirations at the grass roots.
The project was proposed in the 2016-17 modified budget, as one of the schemes to be funded by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The project is coming up at the 14.07 acre land of Thrissur Corporation. It has received administrative sanction of Rs 70.56 crore and KIIFB has given nod for Rs 56.01 crore.
Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar presided over the function. Education Minister Prof C Raveendranath , C N Jayadevan MP, K Rajan MLA, Mayor Ajitha Vijayan and Sanjayan Kumar, Director, Sports and Youth Affairs, attended the function. I M Vijayan was also present at the venue, where eminent sportspersons from the area were honoured.
The Sports Complex will have synthetic turf, gallery, football ground, pavilion building, indoor stadium, swimming pool, tennis court, administration block and rainwater harvesting facility. KITCO Ltd will be constructing the stadium complex under the technical supervision of the Engineering Department of Sports and Youth Affairs.
