On 22 September 2022, the Odisha cabinet has approved the revised project cost of Rs 875.78 crore for construction of sports infrastructure facilities in the state.
The decision came ahead of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup to be hosted in Odisha in 2023, the cabinet headed by the CM Naveen Patnaik, approved the revised project cost for the construction of sports infrastructure facilities in Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar and the construction of the new International Hockey Stadium at Rourkela.
The cabinet proposed to develop a new International Hockey Stadium at Rourkela. The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is being upgraded with facilities like India’s first indoor athletic stadium, indoor aquatic centre, centre tennis court, Hockey HPC building, Accommodation facilities etc.
The sports infrastructure development project was approved in May 2021 with an approved budget of Rs 432.454 crore including taxes and IDCO charges. After the implementation of the project, based on site conditions and technical vetting by experts including IIT Bombay and stadium experts from national or international federations, there was an upgradation to the earlier design and safety parameters to make the structures disaster resilient. This upgradation and the price escalation of materials like steel, POL, aluminium etc. also significant component in increasing the total project cost. Further, an increase in the GST rates from 12 to 18 per cent has contributed in the escalation in the project cost.
The Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 is going to be organised at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar and at Bisra Munda Stadium in Rourkela from January 13 to 29, 2023.
