CM calls for revamp of Barasat Stadium

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has proposed to upgrade the Barasat District Sports Stadium, popularly known as Vidyasagar Stadium and set up a sports complex along the lines of Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake.

The Chief Minister has asked the state Sports department to carry out the project. She took the decision after receiving a complaint during the administrative review meeting at Rabindra Bhawan in Barasat, that the stadium is not being looked after properly by the Zilla Parishad, which was earlier assigned to maintain the stadium complex.

After receiving the complaint, Banerjee took prompt action and assigned the Sports department to revamp its overall infrastructure.

She also stressed on development of the overall sports complex, much like the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan.

It may be mentioned that Barasat Stadium had remained in shambles during the erstwhile Left Front government. After coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee government had taken various steps to improve the infrastructure.

Many important football matches are played at this stadium, which is in urgent need of a facelift. The condition of the stadium is still not up to the mark, especially the stadium complex just outside the ground.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister also urged the local municipalities to keep their areas clean. Attracting the attention of some of the municipality chairmen in the district, Banerjee said that some railings along the road divider are not properly cleaned. They have been asked to do the same at regular intervals.

Traffic jam is a serious problem in some parts of the district, including Barasat.

The senior government officials who were present at the administrative meeting, told the Chief Minister how elaborate plans have been chalked out to ease out traffic congestion in Barasat.

There is a proposal to allow Bongaon-bound vehicles to ply through the proposed four-lane highway in Habra, bypassing the administrative headquarter at Barasat. The Bongaon-Chakdah route would also be developed as a four-lane one.