Plans for High Altitude Training Centre in Nuwara Eliya suspended
The construction of the High Altitude Training Centre in Nuwara Eliya has been put on hold once again due to lack of funds to pay the local component of Rs. 912 million of the multi-billion rupee project.
The suspension is however understood to be temporary as the government is planning to allocate funds following the presentation of the budget in August. The government has allocated only one third of the total instalment during the last Vote on Account which is not sufficient to kick-start the project.
The Export Financial Institute of the United Kingdom has agreed to provide the necessary 70 per cent of funds under an export credit facility while People’s Bank has agreed to finance the balance of the contract price that is not covered by the export credit facility.
The project which includes indoor and outdoor training facilities at an altitude of 1,895 metres, was estimated to cost a staggering 75.5 million or approximately Rs 15 billion.
The proposal had come up several times in the past since 2015. It was last floated under Dayasiri Jayasekera, a former Minister of Sports. His administration even signed a technical agreement with the French Company Ellipse Project SAS in July 2017 with UKEF agreeing to finance 70 per cent while the remaining 30 per cent was to be funded by Hatton National Bank.
However the project was put on hold by the then government on questions of economics feasibility. Instead of going for a loan, they wanted to implement it as a public-private partnership in a manner that generates income to the government, rather than going for a loan at a time when money can’t even be found for the Central Expressway.
Sports ministry officials this week confirmed that the financial agreement has been signed and the government has already paid a sum of Euro 264,492.34, approximately Rs. 52.9 million as loan facilitation fees.
Once constructed, the training facility will have an indoor sports complex swimming pool, multi- sport ground, cricket ground, 400-metre synthetic running track, 400-metre grass track, two indoor tennis courts, administration block and medical centre, apartment block and a hotel with a 75-room facility.
The cabinet in 2017 also approved the transfer of an Urban Development Authority (UDA) land (1 acre, 1 rood and 23.69 perches) to the ministry of sports for the construction of the hotel.
While high-altitude training will definitely be of benefit to athletes, critics question the need for spending such an exorbitant sum for a ‘fancy’ training centre in Sri Lanka when the government struggles to maintain existing sporting facilities. How will the administration generate returns on the heavy investment? They also question the environmental damage it may cause to one of Sri Lanka’s popular tourist destinations.
Sri Lanka has already spent over Rs 3 billion in renovating and building three cricket venues at Khettarama, Pallekelle and Sooriyawewa to co-host the 2011 World Cup. The government has since struggled to settle the bills and millions are still owed to state-owned institutions.
High altitude training provides the athletes to improve the lung capacity together with a sustainable level of endurance and physical fitness. It has been found that this promotes enhanced competitiveness to come out with their skills and achieve success at international level.
A high altitude sports training centre has to be constructed at a height of between 1,500m to 3,500m from the sea level.