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PSB coaching centre’s tennis courts getting ruined Back To Main

The News

Waqar Hamza
 

KARACHI: It’s no secret that in Pakistan sports facilities are developed with investment of tens millions of rupees and then left to ruin for no reason.

The same happened to the two tennis hard courts at the National Training and Coaching Center of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Developed some eight years ago, they are now in a poor condition owing to disuse. Now it requires funds to get back in shape.

A number of camps were held here but never a match of any tournament. Some two years back a camp was held here by the Sindh Tennis Association (STA). But due to its condition no official tennis match can be played here as it needs redevelopment of the floor.

Sources said that this development work does not require more than 50,000 rupees, but the regional office of PSB is making this important facility a complete waste owing to its lethargy.

It may be noted here that these two courts are the only facility the government has developed in the province. Even STA does not have its own tennis courts and is compelled to organise tennis events in private clubs.

“Having such a facility with no use is beyond understanding. This appears to be a deliberate attempt to ruin the facility by not making it available to the general public who cannot afford playing in private clubs,” said a source. “This is one of the reasons why we are not producing good tennis players.”

The courts are in very poor condition with no net, broken floors and no walls.

“Looking at them you just can’t recognise that they are tennis courts because they appear so ruined,” said a tennis lover. “If developed properly they can be used for non-stop tennis activity.”

Acting Director PSB Coaching Centre Zulfiqar Ali Abro said the courts were not closed, but they were disturbed by the construction activities of the international boxing gymnasium. “The gymnasium is adjacent to the courts and since the building is under construction for years the courts could not be made ready for playing activities,” he tired to justify the disuse of the courts.

The acting director further said that the gymnasium was supposed to be completed some 2 and half years back but after the devolution the project was handed over to the province of Sindh. “We are waiting for its completion, which has been delayed due to the shortage of funds with the provincial government. Even then I conduct here tennis activities through STA,” he said.

He further said that the courts are occupied by the construction material meant for the gymnasium, so it’s not possible to have activities there. “I have plans to fully develop this facility besides constructing changing rooms, toilets and other necessary things. But that will only be possible when the gymnasium is complete, and for that I have no idea when this is to happen,” said Abro.

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/