KOCHI: A year past its expiry date, Kerala’s first synthetic track for athletics at the Maharaja’s College ground, is likely to undergo repairs, with the venue a potential training site for the Fifa U-17 world cup in 2017.
MLA Hibi Eden said that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had agreed, in principle, to do the resurfacing of the tracks alongside the renovation of the ground and the hostel of the College at the earliest.
“The tracks were used for a year more than its permitted period so the resurfacing is a necessity. An estimate of Rs 31 lakh has been made for that purpose,” said MLA Hibi.
The construction of the synthetic tracks was done by a Swiss company and it was inaugurated in 2007 with a seven-year lifespan. Overuse of the venue has worn out the surface and affected its performance.
“Rs 8.8 crore is the estimate for the hostel and the other works on the ground and there will be more meetings for a full picture to emerge,” said Mr Hibi.
The Maharaja’s ground and three other venues – Panampilly Nagar sports school ground, Fort Kochi Veli and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies are the designated training sites for the World Cup if Kochi is confirmed as a venue.
