New Olympic-sized swimming pool, all-weather training and toddler pools, gymnastics hall opened
Srinagar, October 7: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday inaugurated a ₹30.35-crore sports infrastructure package at the Sher-i-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre (SKMSAC), Gindun Rajbagh, featuring an Olympic-sized swimming pool, all-weather swimming facilities and a modern indoor gymnastics hall.
The newly inaugurated facilities include a 50-metre × 25-metre, 10-lane Olympic-sized swimming pool, an all-weather heated training and toddler swimming pool, and an indoor gymnastics hall equipped with modern equipment.
The facilities are aimed at expanding access to swimming and gymnastics, enabling year-round training and creating opportunities for young athletes to participate in disciplines beyond traditional sports.
Speaking on the occasion, Omar Abdullah said the new infrastructure would provide children and students with opportunities to explore new sports and train throughout the year.
“Through this facility, we are trying to provide students with new sports milieu. For example, there is an Olympic-sized swimming pool in Kashmir for the first time. Now, there is an arrangement for heating, which will be done through solar energy so that children can practice and train here for 12 months a year,” he said.
The main swimming pool has been constructed at a cost of ₹19.96 crore. It has 10 competition lanes, diving platforms at 1, 3 and 5 metres, modern filtration, circulation and disinfection systems, changing rooms, washrooms, storage lockers and spectator seating for 300 people.
The facility is designed to support competitive swimming, diving and other aquatic sports.
The ₹5.35-crore training and toddler swimming pool facility has been designed for year-round use and includes a heating system, indoor lap pool, child-friendly toddler pool, anti-skid pool decking, modern filtration and disinfection systems, along with changing and shower facilities.
The facility is intended to cater to athletes, students and the wider community, including during the winter months.
The ₹5.04-crore gymnastics hall, measuring 36 metres × 21 metres and 10 metres in height, has been equipped with modern gymnastics equipment.
The facility is expected to provide dedicated infrastructure for gymnastics training and coaching in Kashmir. The Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council has been conducting coaching camps and working towards developing a dedicated Gymnastics Academy.
Referring to the gymnastics facility, Omar Abdullah said there was considerable interest among children in Kashmir in taking up the sport, but the lack of dedicated infrastructure had restricted opportunities.
“Generally, when we talk about gymnastics in Jammu and Kashmir, we only talk about Jammu. However, our children are interested in it and want to do it in Kashmir. But due to the lack of infrastructure, they could not do it,” he said.
“A magnificent indoor gymnastics hall was inaugurated today. In the same way, we will keep adding more sports so that we can give our children options and alternatives. And they can also develop an interest in new sports,” he added.
During the inauguration, the Chief Minister witnessed live swimming and gymnastics demonstrations by sportspersons and trainees at the newly developed facilities.
The new infrastructure is intended to strengthen grassroots participation, widen access to professional coaching and provide young athletes with pathways towards national and international competitions. The all-weather aquatic facilities will also support sustained training during winter.
Minister for Youth Services & Sports Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed, MLA Hazratbal Salman Sagar, MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta and Secretary J&K Sports Council Tazayun Mukhtar Kawoosa, besides students, sportspersons and other concerned officers, were present on the occasion.