The preliminary technical assessment by the engineering wing of the State Sports Council of Meghalaya on the collapse of the retaining wall in the football stadium of the P.A. Sangma Sports Complex has been completed.
In a press statement, the Commissioner & Secretary of the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs, Dr. Vijay Kumar, informed that in addition, a complete situation report has been submitted by the implementing agency, Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited.
“The assessment indicates that due to the ongoing works in Indoor Hall 1 and Indoor Hall 2, coupled with heavy torrential downpour, blockages occurred in the drainage systems, which, then led to water saturation and accumulation in the entire stadium resulting in the retaining wall collapse. No structural integrity concerns were noticed elsewhere,” the statement said.
The P.A. Sangma football stadium is part of the larger P.A. Sangma Sports Complex, which includes:
- a) The Football Stadium, inaugurated in December 2022
- b) Indoor Hall 1 (Swimming, Squash)
- c) Indoor Hall 2 (Badminton, Table Tennis, Basketball)
The two indoor halls are still under construction and will be completed in December 2024.
To continue addressing the immediate situation, the impediments hampering the drainage systems have been removed.
Furthermore, temporary restoration works are now underway, with sandbag walling, gabion walls, stone masonry walls, being some of the various interventions that urgently being planned and executed.
“Once the monsoon recedes, permanent restoration as per requirements of the structural design, will then be carried out. All efforts are being made to ensure that the football stadium will be available to the public at the earliest possible time,” the statement added.