Pir Panjal’s first FIFA quality football field unveiled

Rajouri, Mar 20: A new state-of-the-art football field meeting FIFA's rigorous quality standards has been established at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah (BGSB) University in Rajouri district. The Rs. 4.70 crore project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Government of India.

The football pitch is uniquely located within a lush green forest valley on the university's western edge. Surrounded by towering pine trees on three sides, the picturesque setting takes on an especially scenic allure during sunset hours.

A team from FIFA visited the site on March 13th to extensively examine the facilities and ensure all requirements were met before granting approval for official use.

This field builds upon an earlier initiative in 2015 by the Indian Army's Romeo Force under Operation Sadbhavna. At that time, tough rocky terrain was cleared and levelled to create an intra-university level football ground for student use over the past seven years.

Capt Anubhav Kochar, the representative of the agency that is executing the project, said that work for establishing this Astro Turf-based football field has been going on from last more than six months during which the field was prepared as per specifications after which other required infrastructure was built.

" We procured the Turf from Turkey, Europe which has been laid here," he said adding that this is a football field of high standards.

Named as BGSB University FIFA Football field, Capt Kochar said, it has been established under a project having a value of 4.70 crores.

" We have FIFA quality standards in this football field which is not only built to the highest standards but the location of the field adds more value as there are beautiful pine forests around and it is also situation at the top of a ridge." Capt Anubhav Kochar added.

He informed that an examination team of FIFA visited the field on the 13th of March and conducted necessary examinations besides collecting samples.

" The report of the inspection team is awaited but we are quite sure that it will be positive after which we will hand over the field to BGSB University through J&K Sports Council for use in sports while a dedicated staff will ensure maintenance and caretaking of FIFA approved Turf during next three years."

Dean Academic Affairs, BGSB University, Dr Ali Asgar Shah said that the university administration established communication with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for the construction of a football ground on high standards after which the Ministry approved a project.

" We are highly thankful both to the army that constructed the football ground in 2015-16 and now the Union Ministry that sanctioned a major amount for construction of this football field of international standards." Dr. Ali Asgar Shah said.

He further informed that the field based on AstroTurf is the first of its kind in the entire Pir Panjal region of Rajouri and Poonch districts and is becoming a source of attraction among all the locals.

" It shall prove highly beneficial not only for university students but for other footballers of the region as they will be able to have a play field of international standards in their remote region." the Dean Academic Affairs further said.

He added, " University administration, after receiving control of this field, will try to hold football events of high level here so that the potential of students is also explored after they get a chance to rub their shoulders with players of national and international level."

The university officer further informed that steps for the protection of this vital infrastructure from any kind of fiddling have been taken and a dedicated protection cover of security personnel will remain deployed on an outpost created alongside the field.