Corporates to manage stadia after Commonwealth Games

In a bid to maximize use of sports complexes such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and National Stadium after the Commonwealth Games (CWG) and to raise money for their maintenance, the government has decided to rope in private partners under a process it calls "legacy planning".

Under the programme, the ownership remains with the government but each stadium will be handed over to a private sector entity after the Games, which can then reap commercial benefits from sporting and non-sporting use of the facilities.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) has taken the responsibility of managing and operating five major stadia - JN Stadium, National Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium complex, Shyama Prasad swimming pool complex and Dr Karni Singh shooting ranges - under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

The government has already spent more than Rs 2,400 crore in upgrade and renovation of these complexes. To ensure the facilities are not misused, SAI has issued a "negative list" which prohibits use of the stadia for certain activities.

An "empowered committee" headed by the sports secretary and SAI director-general is overseeing the project.