CM Mamata opens Salt Lake stadium after renovation

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday inaugurated Salt Lake stadium known as Swami Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan after renovation. She returned from Uttarkanya in North Bengal on Tuesday afternoon.

Banerjee said that the final of the Under 17 World Cup will be played at the stadium on October 28. The state government has upgraded the stadium and has handed it over to FIFA recently. "The stadium is of international standards and we are proud that the final of the Under 17 World Cup will be played in Kolkata."

She presented footballs to local clubs and urged the youth to play the game seriously. "Play seriously and enjoy the game," she said.

The state government has thoroughly renovated the stadium. The VIP enclosure, air-conditioned VIP restrooms, dressing rooms of the players and peripheral lighting arrangements from the rooftop have been renovated. The old chairs have been replaced and the stadium has been given a fresh coat of paint. The stadium complex have been brightly illuminated.

Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken up massive development work in the areas adjacent to the stadium. The roads have been repaired and the gardens have been upgraded along with the pavements. Pritha Sarkar, Commissioner of BMC recently met senior officials of different agencies including Public Works Department, Public Health Engineering department, Information and Cultural Affairs department and WBSEDCL to take stock of the situation. Statues will be installed to give the area an aesthetic look.

Stress have been given to install special lights outside the stadium as the matches will be played after sundown. The pathways have been upgraded too.

The Bidhannagar Commissionerate along with BMC is chalking out plans for car parking. The vacant land in the plots situated adjacent to the stadium will be used for car parking. The land will be leveled and police have earmarked the plots. The state Transport department will make special arrangements to deploy buses to carry spectators to the stadium. Additional police force will be deployed for VIP movement. Top FIFA officials will come to the city and will be put up in the star hotels. Their movement from the hotel to the venue and back will be looked after by Bidhannagar Commissionerate and city police.

The Salt Lake stadium was inaugurated in January 1984. Its capacity has been raised to 85,000 spectators. The stadium stands on a 76.04 acre of land.