Chandigarh: Soon the Sector 18 stadium, which is one of the oldest coaching centres of the city will get its second hockey artificial synthetic turf.
The primary process of completing the paperwork has been completed by the UT Sports Department and the Engineering Department has now been given the assignment for procuring the turf.
This will be the department’s second and city’s third full-fledged hockey turf, after the one at the Sector 42 Sports Complex (under sports department) and the one at Panjab University campus (under PU).
After laying of this turf, female players of state-run Chandigarh Hockey Academy (CHA) will be coached at the Sector 18 centre.
“All work pertaining to approvals and submitting specifications has been completed. The Engineering Department will now initiate the proceedings at their end. We are likely to get this new turf within six months,” says a top official of the Sports Department seeking anonymity.
The Sector 18 centre is one of the oldest coaching hubs in Chandigarh. The stadium was constructed in 1960 over four acres and has the capacity to host around 1,000 spectators. The field has hosted important tournaments, including All India Gurmeet Memorial Hockey, National Women Hockey (1989) and All India Invitation Hockey Tournament.
Hockey experts claim that Canadian and England clubs have also played friendly matches here. The turf would be laid as per international standards to host state and national championships in the near future.
