On 22 june morning, a part of the peripheral retaining wall of the football stadium of the P.A. Sangma Sports Complex collapsed. The initial cause has been noted as damage under the duress of heavy rains experienced in Tura and the West Garo Hills region. No casualties have been suffered as a result of the incident.
The football stadium is a part of the larger PA Sangma Sports complex, one of the most significant sports infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs. The project has three major components. The football stadium is India’s largest football stadium built with pre-fabricated technology. The capacity is 9500, which includes the newly constructed North, South, and East Stands, and new facilities for spectators and athletes. Two indoor halls are additionally being constructed, with a built up area of 10,544 sq.m. The first indoor hall includes facilities for swimming and squash, as well as a gymnasium. The second hall can facilitate multiple sports including badminton, table tennis, and basketball.
The football stadium was inaugurated in December 2022 and the indoor halls are expected to be completed in December 2024. The combined cost of the entire project is Rs. 127.7 Crores.
The project location has been selected to be accessible to the residents of Tura town. The design was done by nationally acclaimed design agencies taking into consideration all the requirements for hosting national and international matches.
The project is being executed by Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited, a Government of India Agency under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The implementation has been carried out incorporating best practices in design, construction supervision, and project management, addressing every requirement of transparency and accountability. Further, all technical drawings of the complex, including the retaining wall, have been vetted and verified by experts from reputed national institutions.
The reasons for the collapse of part of the retaining wall are being inquired into. The Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, has launched an official investigation into the matter. Additionally, an engineering team from the State Sports Council of Meghalaya, Shillong, is already at the site with the contractors conducting a technical investigation. All debris is being cleared at present, and immediate repair works will commence.
The Department is working with all the stakeholders to ensure that the construction of the project is completed on time and that the people and the youth of Tura can utilise this significant infrastructure.