Shillong: Banteidor Lyngdoh, Minister incharge of the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in the State Government said that the reason for the artificial turf not being laid yet on the first ground of the Shillong Sports Association is due to the official process which cannot be demanded to be completed in a haste but he said that the process has to be thorough to enable the sanction of funds.
With regards to the laying of the artificial turf,Lyngdoh said that the process for it has moved forward with all the estimates furnished and he hopes that this work will not delay any further so that the process to call for tenders can begin and be completed sooner for the work to start.
Furthermore, Lyngdoh said that besides the ground, the Government has also begun the process to begin the pending work on the sitting gallery which is yet to be completed in the areas facing towards the second ground and the area which is opposite to the river bank of Wahumkhrah,while stating that he does want for it to be as it is at present with one side having a gallery and the other side having nothing at all.
However with regards to the sports associations as it is at present for the Shillong Sports Association, ever since the decline in the Covid-19 positivity rate, it has successfully organised several tournaments such as the 4th Division, 3rd Division, and also the 2nd Division and at present is preparing to organise the 1st Division tournament and the same for the women’s football tournament, following btge completion of these, the SSA is still left to organise the popular league in the State,the Shillong Premier League or the SPL.
On this matter, Lyngdoh expressed that the work as it is at present has been allocated for both, that is the ground and gallery, which following the ca for tender, the contractor assigned the work, will have to promptly start with the laying of the artificial turf on the ground while the sitting gallery for spectators can be completed later.