The main track at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is being renovated for the second time in six years for the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.
Delhi’s iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JNS), considered the hub of athletics in Northern India, will see a massive renovation ahead of the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. However, the eight-lane synthetic track at the stadium which will be re-laid for the second time in six years has been reportedly in the eye of storm for ignoring guidelines to float tenders to relay the track.
Life span of synthetic track is usually eight to ten years.
According to reports, on the recommendation of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), the national governing body for para sports in the country, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in principle agreed to give preference to one company that manufactures Mondo Track.
The PCI later issued a statement saying Mondo Track was the first choice of the athletes and is widely used for global competitions, including Olympic Games.
It is up to SAI to revise the guidelines if the preference is only Mondo Track!
The 2025 World Para Athletics Championships will be held for the first time in India. The schedule dates are September 26 to October 5. The Delhi stadium will undergo massive renovation. Right from relaying track to facilities like washrooms for wheelchair athletes during the global para competition in September/October.
Way back in 2019, the SAI floated tenders to renovate the uneven main eight-lane track at JNS. The renovation work was stalled due to Covid-19 Pandemic. But before the track was complete, the track became uneven at home straight and back straight near the 250m mark. It was later repaired.
During the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the JNS was the venue for opening and closing ceremonies. Underground passage passing from East to West was constructed under the main track for the extravaganza opening and closing ceremonies.
Since the tunnel wasn’t properly cemented, there is usual seepage during the rainy season which damages the base of track and it becomes uneven. To check the fault for uneven surface at main track, SAI further gave a contract to a firm in Guwahati, Assam.
The issue however, wasn’t resolved till date. Instead repair work was done in patches to smoothen the uneven surface of the track.
The SAI didn’t officially open JNS main track to the public post Covid 19. Despite technical faults, national para competitions, national police meets were conducted at the main track. The athletes are also using the facility.
The JNS main track and worn out warm up track both will be re-laid for the World Para Athletics Championships which is nearly five months away. “The work of renovation will commence soon,” one of the PCI officials familiar with the development said.
