New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India’s Governing Body (GB), chaired by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on Monday cleared a comprehensive slate of infrastructure creation and modernisation projects spanning multiple SAI centres across the country. The decisions were taken at a meeting held in New Delhi.
Addressing the GB, Dr. Mandaviya underlined the importance of strengthening the country’s sporting backbone at a crucial stage of its growth.
“The Indian sports ecosystem is now in its youth, and it is the need of the hour to strengthen it in every possible way so that it has a bright future. The decisions we are taking today are athlete-centric and aimed at ensuring that players have the best infrastructure that they need so that the medal counts that we have in mind for CWG and Olympics are met,” Dr. Mandaviya said in his address to the SAI GB.
Among the major proposals approved was the procurement of Poligras Paris GT Zero hockey turf for the SAI Netaji Subhas National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The facility serves as the primary training base for India’s men’s and women’s national hockey teams, as well as the respective ‘A’ squads.
The GB also cleared the replacement of existing electronic shooting targets with advanced laser-based target systems at the Karni Singh Shooting Range, which functions as the training venue for India’s top and emerging shooters, according to an official statement.
In a significant boost to athlete preparation and support infrastructure, the GB sanctioned the construction of three multipurpose indoor halls at SAI National Centres of Excellence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (earlier SAI Aurangabad), SAI Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) Patiala, and the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Trivandrum.
The proposed facility at SAI NCOE Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will include a weather-proof boxing training zone, a strength and conditioning area, and dedicated indoor spaces for volleyball and badminton. At SAI NSNIS Patiala, the new indoor hall is expected to significantly expand training capacity and provide a modern, integrated environment for sports performance, sports science support, conditioning, and recovery.
Further strengthening athletics infrastructure, the Governing Body approved the construction of a 400-metre, eight-lane synthetic athletics track at SAI Sports Training Centre Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. The committee observed that the Jalpaiguri centre has developed into an important athletics hub and has delivered strong results at regional and national competitions despite limited existing facilities.
In addition, approval was granted for the laying of a new synthetic athletics track at SAI Centre of Regional Centre (CRC) Bhopal. The centre hosts athletes from multiple disciplines and has a consistent record of producing international-level performers, including two Olympians.
The approved projects are aimed at expanding access to high-quality training environments and reinforcing an athlete-focused approach as India prepares for upcoming international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.
