In a move to drive Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to utilise the urban spaces, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has started to modify the underbridge areas into vibrant sports hubs.
On Friday, Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated one such facility at the CIMS Railway over bridge in Gota Ward, which is based in the North-West zone of Ahmedabad.
The costs to build the facility is around INR 3.5 crore involving a block for games zone, a dedicated pickle ball court, facility for box cricket, basketball court, a food zone along with two parking lots. The Gujarat government has plans to add more such projects under similar initiatives with bridges 10 more bridges in Ahmedabad, two in Surat, four in Vadodara, two in Rajkot, and two in Gandhinagar Mahangar Palika will be transformed similarly.
Harsh Sanghavi, Gujarat’s Home Minister and Youth & Sports Minister, shared the envision of PM Modi and explained how the state government is working towards the goal.
“On his last visit to Gujarat, he shared a great idea with the Gujarat state government for proper use of the area under overbridges, so that the youth engage in sports, elderly can spend their time, employment is generated, food stalls are set up,” Harsh Sanghavi said.
“He said some blocks should be reserved for parking, local food should be promoted through stalls more and more employment should be given to women through self-help groups, children should be engaged in sports and stay away from mobiles,” the minister added.
This is another mark of the PM to make India a powerhouse for sports. He has repeatedly shown interests to host the prestigious Olympic Games in the country. The official bid for the 2036 Summer Games was formalised by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on October 1, 2024 after the nation’s top body submitted a letter to the International Olympic Committee. Ahmedabad has been projected as the host if India manages to win the bid for the quadrennial showpiece.