The Amdavad Municipal Corporation has given green signal for the demolition of the Sardar Patel Stadium in the Navrangpura. In its place, a new stadium will be constructed with modern infrastructure, keeping in mind Olympic standards.
The stadium, which is located on a vast 67,000 sq m plot, has mainly been used for political and cultural gatherings, with limited use for sporting events. However, since last April, the AMC has deemed it unsafe even for these activities. The aging structure shows visible signs of wear, with cracked stands and gates, along with exposed, rusting iron, posing safety risks.
While renovating the stadium would have cost about Rs 60 crore and building a new one is expected to be more expensive, the latter option is still more viable.
Funding for the new stadium had been allocated in AMC’s 2023-24 budget. However, the project may become part of an Olympic enclave if a proposal to the Olympic Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is approved, in which case the SPV would cover the construction costs.