SRINAGAR, OCT 7: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday inaugurated a ₹30.35-crore sports infrastructure package at Sher-i-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre (SKMSAC), Gindun Rajbagh, giving a major boost to sports infrastructure in Kashmir with the commissioning of Olympic-sized swimming, all-weather aquatic training and modern gymnastics facilities.
The newly inaugurated infrastructure is aimed at creating a year-round sporting ecosystem for children and young athletes, expanding access to professional coaching and opening new pathways for participation in national and international competitions.
The flagship project is a 50-metre × 25-metre, 10-lane Olympic-sized swimming pool, constructed at a cost of ₹19.96 crore. The facility features competition-standard lanes, diving platforms at 1, 3 and 5 metres, advanced filtration, circulation and disinfection systems, changing rooms, lockers, washrooms and spectator seating for 300 people.
For the first time, Kashmir has access to an Olympic-sized swimming facility designed to support competitive swimming, diving and structured aquatic training. The facility is also being equipped for heating through solar energy, enabling athletes and students to train throughout the year despite the Valley’s challenging winter conditions.
A ₹5.35-crore training and toddler swimming pool complex has also been commissioned, featuring an indoor lap pool, heated training arrangements, a dedicated toddler pool, anti-skid decking and modern filtration and disinfection systems. The facility is expected to serve both aspiring athletes and beginners while ensuring continuity of aquatic training during winter.
Another major component is the ₹5.04-crore indoor gymnastics hall, measuring 36 metres × 21 metres with a 10-metre height and equipped with modern gymnastics apparatus. The facility provides Kashmir with dedicated infrastructure for systematic gymnastics coaching and strengthens ongoing efforts by the J&K Sports Council to develop a dedicated Gymnastics Academy.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the objective was to expand the sporting choices available to children and provide them with infrastructure that allows them to train throughout the year. He said the new facilities would help create a sporting environment where children could explore disciplines beyond traditionally popular sports.
Referring to gymnastics, the Chief Minister said children in Kashmir had shown considerable interest in the discipline but opportunities were constrained by the absence of dedicated infrastructure. The commissioning of the indoor hall, he said, would help bridge this gap and allow young athletes in the Valley to pursue the sport seriously.
The Chief Minister witnessed live demonstrations by swimmers, gymnasts and trainees at the newly commissioned facilities, interacting with sportspersons and observing the training infrastructure.
The new projects mark a significant addition to J&K’s sports infrastructure, with emphasis on grassroots participation, professional coaching, talent identification and sustained athlete development. The all-weather facilities are particularly expected to reduce seasonal interruptions and enable continuous preparation for competitions.
The inauguration was attended by Minister for Youth Services & Sports Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLAs Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed, Salman Sagar and Tanvir Sadiq, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Secretary J&K Sports Council Tazayun Mukhtar Kawoosa, besides students, sportspersons, coaches and concerned officers.
