1,200 employees, 24×7 shifts, a whole lot of crores: Rourkela set for hockey World Cup

When Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the muse stone for a brand new hockey stadium at Rourkela on February 16, 2021 — in the midst of a pandemic — and introduced that it will be a second venue for the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup, many, even throughout the authorities, have been sceptical about its well timed completion. So a lot in order that the International Hockey Federation needed to give the state a deadline of November 30 to finish the principle construction and lay the turf.

For two years since then, over 1,200 migrant employees — a lot of them from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal — labored around the clock in three shifts to assemble the stadium. And lower than three weeks earlier than the primary match, the grand saucer-shaped metal construction, with a seating capability of round 21,000, stands tall over 16 acres of land.

A complete of 20 matches can be performed within the new stadium to be named after freedom fighter and tribal icon Birsa Munda.

The Chief Minister is predicted to inaugurate the construction, the nation’s greatest hockey stadium, early in January. Along with the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, it can host the World Cup from January 13 to 29. A complete of 20 matches can be performed within the new stadium to be named after freedom fighter and tribal icon Birsa Munda.

At the stadium web site, employees proceed to toil around the clock to place issues collectively. Though the stadium work has already been accomplished and the bottom was used for a follow match between junior groups of India and South Korea, giant cranes have been deployed to repair the aluminium facades and glass home windows, and end different structural work. Some different employees have been racing towards time to finish roads, lawns, parking heaps and different ancillary work on the stadium premises.

Sabarish, the undertaking supervisor on the web site, mentioned they constructed the stadium in simply 15 months as they began the work in August 2021.

“When we started, the patch of land was a jungle with thousands of large trees and bushes, which has now been turned into the country’s largest stadium. We faced several difficulties while carrying out work with Covid regulations. Transportation of materials, especially steels which were transported from Bhilai and the synthetic turfs which were imported from Germany, was also a challenge,” mentioned Sabarish.

A complete of 20 matches can be performed within the new stadium to be named after freedom fighter and tribal icon Birsa Munda.

The Monsoon rainfall additionally affected the work for a number of months.

Around 3,600 tonnes of structural metal and 4,000 tonnes of TMT metal have been used to construct the stadium. Each seat has been designed to supply an uninterrupted view and spectators can be nearer to the pitch than at every other hockey stadium on the planet, claimed an engineer with out wishing to be named.

The state’s BJD authorities has not given any official determine on the quantity spent for constructing the stadium at Rourkela. Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, in a written reply on November 24, mentioned {that a} complete of Rs 875 crore has been spent for development of Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium and upgradation of the Kalinga Stadium. An official mentioned over Rs 500 crore has been spent to construct the brand new stadium.

Unlike different cities, gamers won’t must journey a lot in Rourkela throughout the occasion as their lodging, follow pitch, principal stadium, swimming pool and health club are positioned in shut proximity. The newly developed airport can also be adjoining to the stadium.

Considering the restrictions within the hospitality sector within the metal metropolis, the Odisha authorities has developed 225 4-star class rooms, the administration of which has been handed over to the Taj Group throughout the event. Over Rs 84 crore has been spent on growing lodging for gamers, assist workers and officers.

“Of the 225 rooms, we have already completed and handed over 150 rooms to Taj Group. The remaining 75 rooms will be ready by the end of this month. The accommodation facility can cater to the needs of at least eight teams at a time. The swimming pool and state-of-the-art gym for players are also ready to use,” mentioned Bhupendra Singh Poonia, managing director of state-owned Idco that oversees the event of stadium and lodging amenities in Rourkela.

The Sundargarh district administration has additionally reserved over 100 rooms in numerous authorities visitor homes within the metropolis which can be used throughout the event. The workers quarters of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology have additionally been upgraded as momentary lodging amenities.

Stadium development web site. (Express file picture)

The metal metropolis additionally has round 60 small and massive lodges with round 1,500 rooms, which the administration mentioned can be utilized by guests and family members of gamers coming to look at their groups in motion.

In a significant connectivity increase to Rourkela forward of the Hockey World Cup, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted a license to Rourkela Airport for public use. The Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), which owns the airport, has reportedly acquired permission to function 72-seater plane.

A view of the development web site (Express Photo/File)

Subhankar Mohapatra, Rourkela Additional District Magistrate, mentioned gamers can be straight flown to the town by chartered flights employed by the state authorities. “For public use, Alliance Air is tentatively to start commercial operation from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela from January first week,” he mentioned.

The administration has additionally deliberate to begin a shuttle service for flyers coming to the closest airport at Jharsuguda, which is a 2.5-hour drive from Rourkela.

Rourkela, the second good metropolis in Odisha aside from Bhubaneswar, has undergone a large transformation — wider roads, refurbished pavements, illumination, improved drainage, renovated parks and fountains, gardens and sanitation work.

Panposh sports activities hostel (Express Photo/File)

To strengthen city mobility throughout the occasion, the state authorities will introduce a fleet of 25 buses beneath the town bus undertaking.

The safety system and site visitors administration have been strengthened within the metropolis with the set up of CCTVs. The sculptures and artworks on main metropolis roads additionally add color to the beautification of the town whereas nearly all of the partitions shine with vibrant murals of hockey legends, mythological figures and eminent Odia personalities, amongst others.

All this work was undertaken with funding beneath the Smart City Mission, mentioned Mahapatra. Locals, nevertheless, are apprehensive about its upkeep after the occasion concludes. “We can see the change on the ground with several projects taken up by the administration. But the challenge will be to maintain these projects after the World Cup,” mentioned Arabinda Patra, a metropolis resident.