Ludhiana: State sanctions ₹4 crore for lawn tennis, volleyball infra in district
The proposed synthetic lawn tennis court will be the first government-run court in the district, says district sports officer
The district sports department is all set to construct the first government-run synthetic lawn tennis court in the district at SCD Government College. Along with this, an indoor volleyball court will also be developed at the same campus.
District sports officer (DSO) Kuldeep Chugh said that until now, Ludhiana did not have any government-provided lawn tennis facility. Aspiring players had to rely entirely on private academies and coaching centres. The proposed synthetic lawn tennis court will be the first-of-its-kind in the district and is expected to open new opportunities for budding players. The estimated cost of constructing the tennis court has been pegged at ₹77 lakh.
DSO said that while SCD Government College already has an outdoor volleyball court, the absence of an indoor facility was felt for a long time. He added that the foundation stone for the indoor volleyball court has already been laid, and the project will be developed at an estimated cost of ₹3.6 crore. Once completed, the indoor court will allow players to train throughout the year, irrespective of weather conditions.
Speaking about coaching arrangements, Chugh said that although the tennis court will be synthetic and built to proper standards, the department currently faces a shortage of lawn tennis coaches. “Across Punjab, there is only one government-appointed lawn tennis coach, who is posted in Patiala,” he said. To address this gap, the sports department has joined hands with the district lawn tennis association. Under this arrangement, coaches will be made available during morning and evening hours, when young players are expected to come for practice, until the department is able to appoint its own coach.
Chugh further informed that work on a new techno gym at Guru Nanak Stadium has already started. He added that construction activity for the two new facilities at SCD Government College is also expected to begin soon.
The district sports department will construct its first government-run synthetic lawn tennis court at SCD Government College, costing ₹77 lakh, along with an indoor volleyball court estimated at ₹3.6 crore. This initiative aims to provide local players with opportunities previously reliant on private coaching. A shortage of coaches is being addressed through collaboration with the district lawn tennis association.