The Union Territory of Ladakh is all set to enter the exclusive club of winter and adventure sports destinations. Work is currently going on at breakneck speed for development of winter sports facilities to ensure Ladakh gets the tag of a happening winter sports destination, a go-to place for winter sports enthusiasts.
As temperature goes down very low here, during the winters, the place is ideal for all kinds of games that are played on snow. Working on the same lines as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the sports department of Ladakh is now focusing on promoting games like ice hockey, snowboarding, skiing etc., to reinvent the Union Territory as a winter sports hub and draw in the tourists.
Indian Masterminds interacted with Secretary, Sports Department, Leh, Mr. Ravinder Kumar, IAS, to know more about the winter sports initiative.
THE PLAN
Secretary, Sports Department, Leh, Mr. Ravinder Kumar, IAS, said that the work to improve sporting facilities are going on in both Leh and Kargil. “In Leh, we are mostly promoting ice-based winter sports like ice hockey, ice skating. Whereas, in parts of Kargil, where good snowfall is received, we are working on establishing sports like skiing etc.”
The Department is constructing ice hockey rinks at all the 10 sub-divisions of Leh and Kargil. Till now, 20-30 percent work has been completed. The work of laying of synthetic track and AstroTurf for football ground is ready at the open stadium, near Airport Spituk Leh. Till now a pavilion of around 2,500 spectators has already been set up and by the end of July 2022, the VIP stand shall also be completed. A similar project for the Kargil district is in progress.
The department has also developed the sports infrastructure in schools of Leh and Kargil. Apart from this, construction work of ponds with stand facilities for pond hockey at all the 31 blocks of Ladakh is going on.
Mr. Kumar said, “We are also working on building two indoor ice hockey rinks in Ladakh which will be open throughout the year. This will be a big relief for the sportspersons as they will be able to practice ice hockey in the off-season as well.”
SHORTAGE OF EQUIPMENT
Earlier a major issue which was faced by the people was the unavailability of proper gear and equipment. To counter that, the department has now spent around 1.58 crores in purchasing archery, gymnastics, ice hockey, and other sports equipment which will help in improving the performance of the players.
Apart from this, winter sports academies are also being constructed at Zanskar and Drass in Kargil, which will also attract and promote winter tourism.
Funds for all these projects are being sought from different government schemes and CSR is also being used to support different sports.
BENEFITS
With the completion of this project by the end of this year, the administration is hoping to see a change in the interest and growth of the youth in sporting activities. Mr. Kumar said, “As such facilities and infrastructure were never available before, it will definitely help in building sports career of many children in the Union Territory. It will also help in the overall personality development of the people. These sports, when pursued at a higher level, will create good job opportunities for the youth. And by actively promoting winter sports, Leh Ladakh can become a hub for ice hockey and other sports-related to it.”
