Bhubaneswar gears up to host Hockey Men’s WC

Preparations in the city of Bhubaneswar are in full swing ahead of the much anticipated Hockey Men's World Cup which is scheduled from 28 November - 16 December this year at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium. The Odisha state government and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been chalking out massive plans to give a facelift to the host city and state as measures are being taken to improve infrastructure, transportation and ambience for the competition.

After the successful organisation of the Men's Hockey World League final last year, which saw Bhubaneswar play hosts to eight participating nations including India, the city will soon be hosting the Men's World Cup.

With less than six months to go for the 16-team competition, the local civic body will be executing three main projects which will help in building the core infrastructure within the city. First of the these few measures will be to provide mechanical sweeping to an 80-kilometres stretch of main road which will include areas around the Kalinga Hockey Stadium.

"We are taking several measures to ensure that the World Cup is a grand success,” said sports secretary Vishal Dev.

“The city of Bhubaneswar is going through a massive overhaul which will make it a favourable destination for all hockey enthusiasts from across the globe. Through the collaboration between Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Odisha Tourism and multiple other state departments, we are working towards elevating the holistic experience for the visiting fans and the people of Odisha.

“We want the fans to walk away having witnessed top quality hockey action intertwined with the rich cultural heritage that Odisha offers,”Dev added.

An official press release also revealed that around 100 e-toilets will be set-up in the city during the tournament to make sure that the sanitation situation is taken care of and tourists from all parts of the world can enjoy a clean and green environment. These e-toilets will be made of stainless steel and might have auto cleaning facility. A better drainage system will also be put in place to deal with the monsoons. The Works Department has devised a plan to have a proposed drainage system which shall help in ending the logging plights, as the sides of all major roads will be constructed to make them free of any water logging. Secondary and tertiary drains across the city are also being cleaned by the local body to give the city an improved look.

The beautification of the city will see a similar ploy as was used during the Asian Athletics Championships 2017 as wall-paintings will be themed after the sport of hockey and it's players. The civic body has commissioned artists from all over the state to paint the city with their creative exemplifications on hockey, with a number of walls throughout the city being their canvas.

A major chunk of the problem during big tournaments lies in the transportation facilities in the host cities, therefore the BMC is making sure that the number of city buses and non-motorised alternatives are in place to accommodate a large number of tourists who will be coming to witness the tournament.

As many as 200 new buses in two phases will be deployed in the city by the Capital Region Urban Transport, and the 110 old buses will also be used, making sure that a comprehensive 319 buses will be serving the public during the tournament. These buses will be available for the passengers to board from more than 200 bus stops, providing transportation facility to all parts of the city.

The renovation work of the Kalinga Hockey Stadium has also entered its final phase with the capacity being increased to 15000 by extending the stands and building two new galleries.

A 24x7 helpline has also been introduced by Odisha Tourism to serve the tourists who visit the city during the quadrennial event.

A unique Public Bicycle Sharing System under the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) will see 1500 modern bicycles being provided at docking stations across the city. These Mobikes will promote a healthy lifestyle within the city's population and will be available for issue using mobile apps and QR codes, helping in reducing the air pollution level as well throughout the city.