The Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi is set to undergo a major transformation. The iconic structure will be converted into a comprehensive Sports City spanning 102 acres, featuring facilities for multiple sports disciplines and athlete accommodation.Currently, the project remains in its proposal stage. The timeline and budget details are yet to be determined.“The stadium will be dismantled. All offices inside the stadium, including the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) and the Income Tax department will be relocated as and when the project takes off,” a Sports Ministry source revealed.“Currently the over 100 acres of land that it occupies is not being used to its optimal level. A Sports City will ensure that we have hosting facilities for major disciplines, training facilities, lodging for athletes when they compete there and even verticals like entertainment will be covered.”The stadium presently houses the Sports Authority of India headquarters and the Khelo India project office.The project’s implementation requires coordination between various ministries and departments, including the Urban Development Ministry. Due to this complex process, immediate commencement is unlikely.“It is an idea at this stage but let’s see how the feasibility study works out. But the ministry is very serious about going ahead with it,” the source stated.Officials are studying sports cities in Qatar and Australia to develop the project framework. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently visited Doha’s Sports City.The Doha Sports City occupies 617 acres and includes football, aquatics, and indoor sports facilities. It also features a specialised sports medicine hospital.Australia’s Docklands Stadium in Melbourne demonstrates versatility by hosting multiple sports, including cricket, football, rugby, and football.India’s own Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Complex in Ahmedabad spans 250 acres. Built at Rs 4600 crore, it houses facilities for cricket, aquatics, tennis, and athletics.Ahmedabad is currently bidding for the 2036 Olympics and is expected to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.“The JLN project will also be big in scale. This project will ensure that the existing infrastructure, that was crumbling inside JLN, will get rebuilt,” the source added.The JLN Stadium was constructed for the 1982 Asian Games. It underwent renovation worth Rs 900 crore for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.The stadium recently hosted the World Para-Athletics Championship. For this event, it received a new MONDO track, known for its speed and injury prevention qualities.The venue has hosted various sports events, including football matches and cricket ODIs. Cricket matches were discontinued after 1991 due to technical reasons cited by ICC.The stadium also serves as a venue for commercial activities, particularly music concerts by national and international artists. SAI has recently increased booking fees for non-sporting events. They have also introduced penalties for failing to maintain the stadium’s condition during such events.
