New Delhi:

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena laid the foundation stone of a sports complex at Qutabgarh village on Tuesday and said 49 villages here will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore.

The Delhi Development Authority’s sports complex project is slated to be completed by next month and will have multiple sporting facilities, including ‘akharas’ for male and female wrestlers, a kabaddi ground, a jogging track, an open gymnasium, a badminton court, volleyball court, the DDA said in a statement.

In a statement, Mr Saxena said that other villages will also be transformed on the lines of Qutabgarh village. Forty-nine villages would be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore, for which funds will be allocated to the DDA, he said.

“Laid the foundation for a sports complex at Qutabgarh Village, in line with the commitment to develop all 49 villages in Delhi with the best civic infra. To be commissioned shortly, the sports complex will have facilities for wrestling, Kabaddi, badminton, athletics, etc,” Mr Saxena posted on social media site X.

Laid the foundation for a sports complex at Qutabgarh Village, in line with the commitment to develop all 49 rural villages in Delhi with best civic infra. To be commissioned shortly, the sports complex will have facilities for wrestling, Kabaddi, badminton & athletics, etc. pic.twitter.com/tUDMVianTN

— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) October 3, 2023

Mr Saxena also shared some pictures from his visit to some of the villages of Delhi.

“Also visited nearby villages – Jaunti and Nijampur – to witness the ongoing development works, including a sports centre, being undertaken by DDA. Dedicated a rejuvenated water body in Jaunti that will add to the village’s water security & recharge the groundwater,” he said in another post on X.

North West Delhi MP Hans Raj Hans, Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, Chief Secretary of Delhi Naresh Kumar, and DDA Vice Chairman Subhashish Panda were also present on the occasion.

During the event, the LG “reiterated his commitment to upgrade and furnish all 49 rural villages in the national capital with the best of civic infrastructure” and said the sports complex will be highly beneficial for the youth of Qutabgarh and nearby villages.

He urged the people to avail various facilities at the sports complex, once it is completed, the statement said.

Later, Mr Saxena inaugurated and dedicated a waterbody to the residents of Qutubgarh village. It will aid in farming and other activities. Deepening and desilting of the waterbody was undertaken and it is now fit for collecting rainwater, the DDA said.

A footpath has been constructed around the water body and plantation work has also been completed. It will not only beautify the village but will also promote physical wellbeing among the villagers as they can enjoy morning and evening walks to keep themselves fit, it said.

To encourage artisans who make beautiful environment-friendly clay utensils, the Lt Governor distributed electric potter wheels to them while appreciating their hard work.

Mr Panda said many development works are being undertaken by the DDA to transform the lives of the residents of Delhi and he assured that the urban body will continue to work with more zeal and enthusiasm.

At present, the DDA has 16 sports complexes, three mini-sports complexes, two public golf courses, 17 swimming pools and 40 multigyms.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)