J&K CM Omar Abdullah Inaugurates ₹30.35 Crore Sports Infrastructure in Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday inaugurated a ₹30.35 crore sports infrastructure project at the Sher-e-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre (SKMSAC) in Gindun Rajbagh, Srinagar. The project marks a major expansion of swimming and gymnastics facilities in the Union Territory.

Olympic-Level Swimming Pool and Modern Gymnastics Hall Inaugurated

The newly inaugurated facilities include a 50-metre x 25-metre, 10-lane Olympic-level swimming pool, an all-weather heated training and toddler swimming pool, and a modern indoor gymnastics hall equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the new facilities would provide young people with opportunities to take up sports beyond traditional disciplines and enable them to undergo training throughout the year.

He said the facility was aimed at providing students with a new sporting environment. He noted that an Olympic-level swimming pool had been established in Kashmir for the first time and that arrangements had also been made to heat the water using solar energy so that children could practise and train here throughout all 12 months of the year.

₹19.96 Crore Swimming Pool with 10 Competition Lanes

The main swimming pool, constructed at a cost of ₹19.96 crore, has 10 competition lanes, 1, 3 and 5-metre diving platforms, modern filtration, circulation and disinfection systems, changing rooms, washrooms, storage lockers and seating arrangements for 300 people.

The facility has been designed to promote competitive swimming, diving and other water-related sports.

₹5.35 Crore All-Weather Training and Toddler Pool

The training and toddler swimming pool facility, constructed at a cost of ₹5.35 crore, has been developed for year-round use. It includes a heating system, an indoor lap pool, a child-friendly pool, anti-skid pool decking and modern filtration facilities.

₹5.04 Crore Indoor Gymnastics Hall

The gymnastics hall, built at a cost of ₹5.04 crore, covers an area measuring 36 metres by 21 metres and has a height of 10 metres. It has been equipped with modern gymnastics equipment.

The facility is expected to provide a dedicated platform for gymnastics training and coaching in Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council is already conducting coaching camps here and is working towards developing a dedicated gymnastics academy.

Speaking about the new gymnastics facility, the Chief Minister said children in Kashmir have considerable interest in taking up the sport, but opportunities had been limited due to a lack of suitable infrastructure.

Omar Abdullah said that when gymnastics is discussed in Jammu and Kashmir, the focus is generally on Jammu. However, children in Kashmir are also interested in the sport and want to pursue it, but they could not do so because of the lack of infrastructure.

He said the inauguration of the indoor gymnastics hall would provide a new opportunity and added that more sports would continue to be included to give children more options and opportunities and help them develop an interest in new sporting disciplines.

CM Watches Live Swimming and Gymnastics Demonstrations

During the inauguration, the Chief Minister watched live swimming and gymnastics demonstrations by players and trainees at the newly constructed facilities.

The new infrastructure is aimed at strengthening grassroots participation in sports, expanding access to professional coaching and creating better pathways for young athletes to progress towards national and international competitions.

The all-weather swimming facilities are also expected to enable uninterrupted training during the winter months.

Officials and Representatives Present

Youth Services and Sports Minister Satish Sharma, Chief Minister’s Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, Lal Chowk MLA Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad, Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar, Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq, Chief Minister’s Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta and Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council Tazayun Mukhtar Kawosa, besides students, athletes and other concerned officials, were present on the occasion.