In Vijayawada, as the Amaravati capital city undergoes preparations to host its maiden Republic Day celebrations after the government officially shifted the event from its regular venue, the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) Stadium on MG Road, the fate of this crucial sports facility remains unchanged. The stadium, which serves as the only major sports ground for athletes and sports enthusiasts in the city, continues to be utilized for non-sporting activities, causing significant inconvenience to its regular users.
Disruption to Sports and Community Activities
The IGMC ground, popular among walkers and sports enthusiasts, has expressed deep disappointment over the repeated diversion of the stadium for political and commercial events. The latest instance involved the BJP's Ekatma Manav Darshan programme, based on the philosophy of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Following this political programme, the district administration has planned to conduct its inaugural Republic Day celebrations on behalf of the NTR district administration at the IGMC Stadium, with preparations already underway.
Impact on Vendors and Local Economy
Walkers and sports enthusiasts are not the only ones suffering due to the IGMC Stadium hosting political and non-sports programmes. Small-scale vendors who sell health drinks and snack items outside the stadium have also borne the brunt of these disruptions. Authorities did not permit these vendors to set up their makeshift stalls for the last two days, affecting their livelihoods. The health drinks and snack items sold by these vendors, who operate on the footpath outside the IGMC grounds, enjoy good patronage from walkers at the stadium, highlighting the broader community impact.
Long-Term Neglect and User Frustration
Mungamuri Prasad, a long-time walker at the stadium, shared his concerns, stating, "It seems, over the past decade, the stadium, more than sports-related events, was used to host political, cultural, and flood relief programmes." He added that they are forced to abandon their regular walking routines periodically, as the stadium is frequently used for various political events. This pattern of neglect has led to growing frustration among the local sports community.
Official Response and Administrative Challenges
When contacted about the dire situation at the IGMC Stadium, the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) chairman, Animini Ravi Naidu, attributed the current state to the greed of the civic body. He explained that, despite norms prohibiting the use of the stadium for non-sports-related events, the civic body has leased it out to various private programmes to generate revenue. Ravi Naidu noted that SAAP successfully urged Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to shift state-level Republic Day celebrations from the IGMC Stadium, but they failed to prevent the civic body from leasing the play area fields inside the stadium for political meetings.
He further emphasized that the stadium, currently under the municipal administration department's ambit, poses a major hurdle to SAAP's efforts to maintain it as a dedicated sports facility. This administrative overlap complicates efforts to prioritize sports activities and protect the interests of athletes and enthusiasts in Vijayawada.
