Mangaluru: Nearly two years after the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports gave administrative approval for upgrading the Football Ground at the Nehru Maidan as a turf ground, the proposal has come to a standstill in view of the increase in project cost. The Director of the department approved the project estimated at ₹ 1 crore on December 12, 2016. Subsequently, the government released ₹ 25 lakh to the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada for the project.

In a written reply to an un-starred question by Ivan D’Souza in the Legislative Council on the last day of the Belagavi session on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said that the Public Works Department had invited bids for taking up the project. The lowest bidder had quoted 18 % above the estimated cost. Hence, the project now, including the service tax, cost ₹ 1.25 crore. The government has accepted a proposal seeking additional grant and approval for the project. It is now under the review of the government, he said.

Replying to different questions from Mr. D’Souza on the same day, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the government has not reserved any fund during 2018-19 for building a multi-sports complex near Urwa Market. The government will examine taking up the project based on the availability of fund.

Dr. Parameshwara said that apart from the existing Mangala Stadium in the city, there is no proposal before the government to build any other stadium of international standards in the city. No land has been handed over to the department for such a project and there is no proposal with the government to build another stadium named after cricketer K.L. Rahul from Mangaluru.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that there is no proposal before the government to build a turf cricket pitch in the city to train cricketers and establish a sports village here.

Dr. Parameshwara said that the stadia in Mangaluru and Moodbidri were among 15 in the State on which synthetic tracks have been fixed.

The government is preparing a detailed project report on establishing a sports university in the State. A decision on going ahead with it would be taken depending the report, he said.