Sports complex on track, GNIDA plans to invite trainers

Greater Noida: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has started work on selecting academies with experience in providing physical training to run its integrated sports facility in Sector 20.
Spread across 40 acres, all civil work related to Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex was commissioned earlier this year.
The aquatic centre and squash courts are the two facilities that have already been developed and are ready for practice sessions. Officials said that before choosing the agencies to run these facilities, GNIDA would lay down a few conditions to ensure the quality of training isn’t compromised.
“Our aim is to offer the best quality of training to the sportsmen at reasonable rates. Attractive sports facilities are a major draw for families that want holistic growth of their children. To ensure such quality, we are going to lay down certain conditions that will ensure that the best coaches train youngsters and kids. More importantly, coaches would have to be present during the training sessions,” said officer on special duty Shiv Pratap Shukla, who is also the secretary of the sports complex.
Officials said they would discourage agencies headed by successful players and athletes from participating in the bidding process.
“In a number of cases, we have seen that the chief mentor or the head coach hardly visits the facilities that run in their names. But academies take a lot of money from budding sportsmen by showing that they are headed by some successful player,” said Anadi Barua, former Indian footballer.
Of the total revenue that the sports facility will garner, GNIDA will keep 40% as its share. However, to prevent a scenario that could result in overcharging, GNIDA has capped the coaching charges that can be taken in a month from the trainees.
The sports academy will have around a dozen facilities and charges will vary according to the skill set of the players. The authority has categorised players under three categories — advance, intermediate and beginner — to decide on the coaching charges. Facilities offering training in tennis, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, skating, football, shooting, boxing, cricket, swimming, squash and body building will come up at the sports complex.
“Instead of financial, our evaluation process will be focused on the technical aspect, experience and background of the interested sports academies. If we have the best talent as mentors in Delhi-NCR, commanding a premium for specialised training will not be a problem. Companies that will guarantee standards are going to be selected instead of the ones that would offer more money but inferior training,” said an official.
GNIDA will also introduce in the agreement a penalty clause under which, the agency will be liable to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 daily if the head coach or mentor remains absent for more than 50% of the training days.
The officials clarified that a certain number of arenas, cricket pitches, courts and play areas for each sport or game will be reserved for regular members of the stadium and will not be offered for professional coaching or training.