Torrential rains cause the collapse of the portion of P. A Sangma Stadium: Meghalaya Govt

An engineering team from the State Sports Council of Meghalaya, Shillong has been deployed at the site with the contractors conducting a technical investigation, said the government

The portion of the peripheral retaining wall of the football stadium of the P.A. Sangma Sports Complex has collapsed due to the damage caused by heavy rains in the state, said the state government.

Issuing a statement, the state government said, “The initial cause of the collapse of part of the retaining wall has been noted as damage under the duress of heavy rains experienced in Tura and the West Garo Hills region.”

Meghalaya government further stated that the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Jagdish Chelani has launched an official investigation into the matter and the other reasons for the collapse of part of the retaining wall are being inquired into.

Additionally, an engineering team from the State Sports Council of Meghalaya, Shillong has been deployed at the site with the contractors conducting a technical investigation.

The Sports Complex will undergo immediate repairs after the debris has been removed. The Department of Sports and Youth Affairs 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, said the government.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma also said that the District Administration and the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs have been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation and asked the contractors to submit a report on the cause of the damage.

“Following reports of the partial damage to the retaining wall of the P A Sangma Stadium in Tura, officials have been on the job to clear the landslide debris. Instructions have been given to the Administration and the Department to conduct a thorough investigation and for the contractors to submit a report on the cause of the damage,” CM Sangma tweeted.

The retaining wall of the football stadium of the P.A. Sangma Sports Complex at Dakopgre, Tura in West Garo Hills collapsed yesterday morning within months of its inauguration.

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 Meghalaya government release said.

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 release further said.

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, the release said.

Tura MDC and vice-president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Meghalaya, Bernard N Marak has filed an FIR against the contractor of the P.A. Sangma stadium at the Tura Out Post for its shoddy and cheap standard work which has led to its collapse before the completion of the project. He also requested to book the people responsible for the collapse of the stadium under appropriate sections.

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