SLC to take charge of Diyagama Stadium?
The new Minister of Sports, Roshan Ranasinghe, raising concerns and the present status of the Diyagama Track and Field Stadium, has hinted that the facility could be transferred to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), owing the heavy cost involved in maintaining the country’s second synthetic track and field sports complex. The Minister had made the desire in giving charge the authority to SLC, after making an observation tour earlier this week.
Issuing a statement, the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, Prasanna Adikari revealed that the current appalling state of the sports facility coupled with the escalating economic crisis of the country, has forced the authorities to think of alternative ways to preserve the facility.
“This opens us (Ministry of Sports) to the only option of handing over the sports facility to a private firm or an established entity such as Sri Lanka Cricket. That way renovations, development and maintenance of the facility will be in safer hands,” the statement said.
Most parts of the sport facility, which was established in 2010, have been turned into ruins due to negligence and lack of proper maintenance and the Ministry of Sports is intending to draft a report to be tabled at the upcoming cabinet meeting, after which the authorities are intending to begin renovation work.
“The cost of maintenance is not how it was some months before, it has skyrocketed. In addition, despite constant maintenance, the facility is less utilised resulting in heavy losses,” Minister Ranasinghe had told reporters.
The facility was declared open in 2010 after the 7th Engineering Service Regiment of Sri Lanka Army managed to complete the initial stage at a cost of Rs.118million, as opposed to the estimated cost of Rs.390million.
It is located on a land which spans 126 acres and contains nine synthetic 400m lanes, Sri Lanka’s second such facility after the Sugathadasa Stadium. It also consist of an athletic ground, football and rugby fields and a pavilion with the capacity of 3000 seating.