FIFA Under 17 football trophy to be displayed at Eco Park

Kolkata: The FIFA Under 17 football World Cup trophy which will be awarded to the wining team on October 28 will be on display for a day at Eco Park.

The trophy will be kept for a day on September 3 for visitors to see. It will be kept at gate number 1 beside the ticket counter. This is the most important sporting event which is being held at Salt Lake in the past four decades. A FIFA team visited Eco Park and selected the place where the trophy would be kept. The state Sports department has okayed the site and informed the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO)

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has described the event as "a huge gain for the city". The Under 17 World Cup final will be held in the city. It is matter of huge pride for Kolkata." The trophy will be displayed at two other places in the city too.

Firhad Hakim, state Urban Development minister along with Saumitra Mohan, CEO Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) on Saturday visited the areas surrounding Subhas Sarobar and saw the progress of work that is being carried out in connection with the sporting event.

Meanwhile, New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) is carrying out beautification works on a war footing. The roadside trees will be trimmed and paintings will be done of the roadside slabs. Selecting Eco Park to exhibit the trophy by FIFA authorities has added another feather to the success of Eco Park which is coming up as one of the most beautiful urban parks in the country.

It may be recalled that a high-level meeting was held at HIDCO Bhavan recently to chalk out plans for beautification of the area and smooth running of traffic on the days when matches will be held at the stadium. Debashis Sen, additional chief secretary and chairman of HIDCO and NKDA, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, additional chief secretary, Transport department, Gyanbant Singh, Commissioner, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate along with senior police officers and their counterparts in HIDCO and NKDA were present at the meeting.

As FIFA delegates and important dignitaries will be using Biswa Bangla Sarani via New Town, the entire stretch on the road will be lit up.

Special lighting arrangements will be done in areas surrounding Salt Lake stadium along with beautification of the road. Several statues will be installed to give the area a contemporary look.