Edava indoor stadium to be ready by Dec

T'puram: The construction of Thomas Sebastian Indoor Stadium in Edava, Varkala, being developed by sports and youth affairs department, has entered the final stage, with the long-delayed Rs 34-crore project expected to be completed by Dec this year.Built with funding support from Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, the two-storey modern sports complex is expected to provide a major boost to sports infrastructure in Varkala.The stadium will feature courts for volleyball, basketball, handball and shuttle badminton, besides a 2,400m playing field, a sevens football ground and a swimming pool. The project also includes a gallery with seating capacity for 1,000 spectators and provisions for dormitory and hostel facilities in future phases.Officials said the structural works of the stadium have been completed and the remaining works include flooring for basketball, volleyball and kabaddi facilities, completion of the swimming pool and installation of sports equipment. "The project had faced delays earlier due to issues related to finalization of the design structure and subsequent discontinuation of work by the contractor. Following re-tendering, construction activities have gained momentum and are now in the final stage," a sports department official said.The dream of establishing a sports stadium in Edava dates back nearly four decades. In 1987, local sports enthusiasts formed a committee to construct a stadium in the village. In 1989, residents contributed donations ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 2,000 to purchase 5.25 acres, which was later handed over to panchayat.However, financial constraints prevented the panchayat from taking up the construction, leading to the transfer of the land to the sports council in 2003. The state govt later included the project in the 2016-17 budget and allocated funds through sports council.In 2019, KITCO took over the construction work with a project estimate of Rs 34.25 crore. However, the project stalled again before being re-tendered in Jan 2025 to Sports Kerala Foundation for Rs 26 crore.