Tirupati: Education minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday inaugurated or initiated a series of sports infrastructure projects in Tirupati and Chandragiri.
He inaugurated the NTR cricket pavilion and sports complex at in Tirupati, developed at a cost of Rs 10.10 crore with the support of the sports authority of Andhra Pradesh and the Tirupati urban development authority. The facility includes infrastructure for cricket, kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, ball badminton and archery.
Lokesh toured the complex, interacted with sportspersons and briefly played volleyball and cricket.
Former India women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj, Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, Arjuna awardee Karnam Malleswari and shuttler Kidambi Srikanth were present. A drinking water plant supported by Praneeth Foundation was inaugurated in the premises.
SAAP chairman Ravi Naidu said that more than Rs 35 crore had been allocated for sports development in Tirupati and Chittoor districts over the past year. The NTR sports complex would contribute to nurturing young talent and strengthening sports culture in the region.
At the Sri Srinivasa sports complex, Lokesh laid the foundation for the Karanam Malleswari weightlifting academy, being constructed at a cost of Rs 5.35 crore along with hostel facilities for 200 sportspersons. He also inaugurated a junior boxing ring built at a cost of Rs 30 lakh to international standards.
The minister laid foundation stones for NTR sports development centres at Kota in Gudur constituency with an outlay of Rs 2.31 crore, at Sullurpet with Rs 2.70 crore, and at the APSTREIS school in Renigunta with Rs 80 lakh.
Later, in Chandragiri, Lokesh inaugurated the Nara Ramamurthy Naidu sports development centre at the government boys’ high school. Built at a cost of Rs 3.17 crore, the centre includes a multipurpose indoor stadium with facilities for badminton, table tennis, chess, yoga and gym, along with outdoor courts and a hockey field.
The centre, named after the brother of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and former Chandragiri MLA, is designed to host national-level competitions.
Ministers Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy and Anagani Satya Prasad, along with public representatives and officials, were present.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
