The stadium will be demolished and reconstructed into a “Modern Sports City”.
Delhi's JLN Stadium to be demolished;Rebuilt into a Modern Sports City
The Union Sports Ministry is coming up with a plan to give Delhi a modern sports city with the demolition of the iconic "Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN)". The stadium, which had significantly contributed to India’s sporting history for over four decades, will be demolished and reconstructed into a “Modern Sports City”.
According to the officials, the ministry is studying infrastructure models from “Qatar and Australia”, both known for building advanced, multipurpose sports ecosystems. However, the reconstruction will begin only after completion of detailed assessments and approval of a final plan.
JLN Stadium was built for the “1982 Asian Games” and later upgraded for the “2010 Commonwealth Games” at a cost of INR 961 crore. It has hosted many important events, which included the “2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup” and the “World Para Athletics Championships”. It got another INR 50 crore upgrade and added new tracks, 10,000 seats, and accessibility features such as lifts and wheelchair-friendly washrooms before the recent event.
It is spread across “102 acres”. It has offices of the “Sports Authority of India (SAI)”, the “National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)”, and the “National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL)”, along with badminton courts, an archery academy, and athletics facilities. According to the officials, these offices will be relocated, and “residential facilities for athletes” will be developed within the new complex to make training and accommodation more accessible and convenient.
This Sports City project is likely to include “modern stadiums, training academies, athlete housing, and sustainable infrastructure”. It is inspired by Doha’s Sports City, which hosted the 2006 Asian Games and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Meanwhile, SAI has launched its “largest coaching recruitment drive since 2017”. It announced ”320 new positions" across 25 sports, with “half reserved for women.”
The redevelopment of JLN Stadium is seen as a huge step in India’s efforts to “modernise sports infrastructure” and strengthen its case for hosting global events like the ”2036 Olympic Games”.
