Hockey unit seeks renovation of ground at Thoothukudi sports stadium

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Members of a hockey unit at the Collectorate in Thoothukudi on Monday. | Photo Credit: N. RAJESH

Representatives of a hockey unit on Monday submitted a petition to Collector Vishu Mahajan, seeking steps to protect and renovate the hockey ground at the district sports stadium in Thoothukudi.

The petition was submitted at the weekly grievance redressal meeting held at the Collectorate.

In their petition, the representatives said renovation works were under way at the stadium, with football, basketball and volleyball courts being upgraded. However, the hockey ground had been neglected. Also, the ongoing renovation of the athletic track was affecting the hockey ground. As a result, the ground had been reduced from its prescribed dimensions, making it difficult to conduct official matches and provide proper training to players.

They urged the Collector to take steps to renovate the hockey ground without affecting its area and restore it to its full prescribed dimensions, as several players from schools and colleges in Thoothukudi regularly used the ground for training.

In a separate petition, Rajkumar, a BJP functionary from the district, sought the introduction of government town bus services connecting Thoothukudi with surrounding villages.

The routes Thoothukudi-Pazhayakayal-Manjalneerkayal-Chidambaranar Nagar-Ambedkar Nagar-Pudhusubramaniapuram-Vedhamanikkapuram-Iruvappapuram-Manakkadu-Sivathaiyapuram-Eral and Thoothukudi-Pudukottai-Koottampuli-Podammalpuram-Peykulam-Iruvappapuram-Karadiyur-Arumugamangalam-Eral had been without adequate bus service for more than 10 years.

Farmers, school students, and women from more than 25 villages were facing severe hardships everyday due to lack of bus services.

He urged the authorities to conduct a field inspection of the two routes and take steps to introduce new government town bus services.

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