For the longest time, Assam has had its eyes on the National Games which takes place every two years in India, but the question remains – Is Assam really ready to host National Games smoothly?
Kicked off in 1924, the inception of the Indian chapter in the Olympic movement occurred with India's participation in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics. In 1924, a provisional Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was established, leading to the organization of the Indian Olympic Games in February of the same year in Delhi.
As per reports, last year, while laying the foundation stone of a Sports Complex in Amingaon, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the State government is trying to play host to the National Games either in 2025 or 2027.
On February 20, this year speaking at the opening ceremony of the Khelo India University Games 2023, held at the Sarusajai Sports Complex in Guwahati, Sarma reiterated his words expressing his enthusiasm to host the next edition of the National Games in the state, highlighting Assam's proud legacy in organizing premier sporting events.
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With the idea of the National Games fresh in the buzz now, we should really check if Assam is at all ready to have a magnanimous sporting event like the National Games.
Although the State government has been taking several initiatives to take Assam to the next level with upgradation of Nehru Stadium worth ₹832 crore, a stadium at Chandrapur worth ₹300 crore, one in Dibrugarh at ₹401 crore, in Diphu worth ₹75 crore, among others. During the Assam budget this year, the State had further announced ₹148 crore for Sports and You Welfare and another ₹210.32 crore for scouting out talents across the State.
Yes, the National Games being held in Assam will be a proud moment for us but before embarking on the grand idea of hosting the National Games in Assam, let’s do a reality check and see if Assam is truly prepared for such a significant event.
The National Games, occurring every 2-3 years, most of the time it’s held during the autumn season, poses a major challenge for Assam. Autumn in the region is synonymous with heavy rainfall and floods that can adversely affect the entire state.
While Guwahati has witnessed the emergence of a few hotel chains, the same cannot be said for the entire state. Ensuring that national players and their entourages, travelling from various states, have access to basic amenities is crucial.
The 33rd edition of the National Games also took place in Guwahati, Assam, from February 9 to February 18, 2007. The event which was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi, the president of the then Indian National Congress, was attended by a massive crowd of 30,000 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.
During the previous edition in Guwahati, 30 states, union territories, and services participated, with the notable absence of Bihar, Puducherry, and Tripura.
The Games marked the inauguration of the Indira Gandhi Stadium, also known as Sarusujai Stadium and the Games Village. The latter consisted of housing units constructed to accommodate participants. However, controversy arose when reports surfaced regarding the alleged sale of these units to private parties.
Now, the state government is thinking of hosting the National Games in Assam again. But here's a fun fact - the accommodation units, initially built for players and their entourages during the previous games, are now either wasting away or inhabited by third parties, legally or illegally. Talk about a plot twist! Sure, let's pretend Guwahati has more hotels than a Monopoly board. Who needs those pre-built, free-of-cost structures, right? But here's a fact – if the state is on a spree building top-notch sports facilities all over Assam, are they National Games-ready or just Instagrammable?
We've all seen this movie before, fancy, multi-crore projects pop up, and then they're left deserted till some big events come up, be it an international cricket match, a record-breaking event, a political rally or say something bigger like the National Games. Or worse, people treat them like a buffet, making a mess and leaving. Is public money so easily expendable? Think about it!
Also, given that most of the stadiums are concentrated in Guwahati, it's inevitable that the majority of the games will be held in and around the city. However, the notorious traffic chaos in Guwahati could escalate to unprecedented levels, causing inconvenience for commuters navigating through the already crowded streets.
Then there is the public transportation system. Despite the introduction of several hundred electric and CNG buses in Guwahati, the public transportation system remains erratic. Issues such as buses running out of charge or being requisitioned by the government for various events persist. Allocating buses to players during the National Games could exacerbate these challenges.
While crores of rupees are being invested in constructing Olympic-level stadiums, questions arise about their maintenance. Often, during national or international events, contractors engage in last-minute efforts to refurbish and enhance facilities, neglecting essential aspects. This pattern has been observed repeatedly, whether during international T20 cricket matches or the record-breaking Bihu celebration.
To save face, the government tends to push the public to the limit. Instances like the plying of super buses within the city during the day, causing hour-long traffic chaos during the Bihu event, or the broken facilities at Barsapara Stadium, have become recurrent issues – All these events are being organised with the help of public money and if the public only faces hassle because of this, how does it make sense.
The promises made by our leaders are very much like artificial sweeteners – sweet in the beginning but leaving a bad aftertaste and very bad for you in the long run.
(All views and opinions expressed in the article are the author’s own)
