SAI Governing Body Approves Major Sports Infrastructure Projects Across India
The Governing Body of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Monday approved a series of infrastructure development and upgradation projects aimed at strengthening India’s sports ecosystem and enhancing athlete performance across the country.
The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi.
Addressing the Governing Body, the minister said that India’s sports ecosystem is at a crucial stage of growth and needs sustained investment in athlete-centric infrastructure to meet future medal targets at global events, including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games. He said the decisions taken were focused on providing world-class facilities to athletes and creating a strong foundation for long-term sporting success.
Among the key approvals was the procurement of Poligras Paris GT Zero hockey turf for the SAI National Sports Science Centre (NSSC) in Bengaluru, which serves as the primary training base for India’s men’s and women’s national hockey teams as well as the ‘A’ teams.
The Governing Body also approved the replacement of existing electronic shooting targets with modern laser target systems at the Karni Singh Shooting Range, a premier training venue for India’s elite and upcoming shooters.
In another major decision, the construction of three multipurpose indoor halls was cleared at SAI National Centre of Excellence Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, and Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education.
The new facility at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will include a weather-proof boxing training zone, strength and conditioning facilities, and dedicated indoor courts for volleyball and badminton. The multipurpose hall at NSNIS Patiala is expected to significantly enhance indoor training capacity while providing integrated support for sports science, conditioning, and athlete recovery.
At LNCPE Trivandrum, India’s leading academic and high-performance sports institution, the new hall will enable uninterrupted year-round training and academic activities.
The Governing Body also approved the construction of a 400-metre, eight-lane synthetic athletics track at SAI Sports Training Centre Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. The centre has emerged as an important hub for athletics training and has delivered strong performances at regional and national competitions despite limited infrastructure.
Additionally, the laying of a new synthetic track was cleared at SAI Regional Centre Bhopal, which caters to athletes from multiple disciplines and has produced several international-level performers, including two Olympians.
