Hockey ground project in Coimbatore city close to completion

Work on the international-standard hockey ground at the Corporation Higher Secondary School in R.S. Puram will be completed in about a week, according to officials of the Coimbatore Corporation.

The ground, spread over 7.02 acres, is being developed at an estimated cost of ₹9.67 crore.

Officials said installation of the 6,500 sq. metre synthetic turf, two dugouts and toilet facilities is under way. The six 17-metre-high stadium mast lights, 350 metres of fencing and the six-unit pop-up sprinkler system have been completed. Once the turf installation is finished, all systems, including lighting and sprinklers, will be tested.

Water drained from the turf during matches will be filtered and stored in two sumps of 50,000 and 1 lakh litres for reuse, as the turf must remain wet during play to ensure smooth movement. A separate building with toilets, changing rooms and 14 lockers each for men and women has also been provided.

After completion, the ground will be inspected by the Hockey Federation of India before being inaugurated for hosting matches. The second phase, which includes construction of a spectator gallery, gymnasium, players’ dining hall and other supporting facilities, is expected to be taken up later and not immediately after the first phase.

This marks the Corporation’s fifth attempt to create a dedicated hockey facility. Earlier efforts announced in 2012-13 and 2013-14, as well as a tender floated in 2018, did not progress beyond the initial stages. During those attempts, materials such as the shock pad and synthetic turf that had been procured were left unused and eventually wasted. In 2019, the project was proposed through Coimbatore Smart City Limited with funding of ₹19.50 crore, but it did not take off.