MAVERICK MARTINS
Panjim: As soon as the focus was about to shift from the Tilak maiden to the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda the Tilak Maiden got an additional facelift on the last two days with fans from the east stand finally having a chair to sit for a change rather than the concrete floor. As Herald was reporting that the East stand at the Tilak Maiden was incomplete the chairs were being fixed overnight.
LUGOC in a press release have clarified that the stadium was completed 2 days before the report i.e. on January 21, if it was that easy to complete the work question on everyone’s mind is why did the LUGOC compromise on the quality of the venue at an international event in its initial stages?
Speaking to Herald Sandeep Jacques, Executive Director Sports Authority of Goa said on record that just because the chairs were not there it doesn’t mean the quality of the venue was compromised. Tilak Maiden has a capacity of 7000 and we wanted to make sure people who come in to watch the match don’t go back home disheartened. Thats the main reason why the chairs were not fixed.
We have Lusofonia Games CEO Keshav Chandra on record where in talking to Herald on January 22 at 3.30 pm, he admitted to some problem in the fixing of chairs and assured that they will take a call on it immediately and also added that the Fatorda pitch will also be ready by then. Was the Lusofonia games CEO unaware or was it under his instructions the work was carried out just before kick off? He also admitted that the East stand was deliberately left incomplete to accommodate more spectators in the stadium. If that’s the case why was the work carried out just ahead of the crucial Goa-India vs Mozambique tie which was bound to draw a full house. Shouldn’t the LUGOC stuck to its original stand or else what was really the logic behind the incomplete East stand in its initial stages?
Under whose instructions was the work carried out as both the CEO and Joint CEO clearly didn’t want the chairs to be fixed to accommodate more people in the stands.
Herald tried to call the contractor Kishore who was given the contract to complete the work to know the real truth behind the story only to find his phone switched off throughout the day. We also asked Keshav Chandra about the contractor details but he was not able to provide us with the same.
According to sources the ticket system introduced on the last day by LUGOC has been the major cause for the entire ruckus at all the stadiums. What happened to the CM’s promise of keeping the gates open on a first come first serve basis? Why were the locals stopped and gates closed despite empty seats in the stands with the VIPS to whom the tickets were doled out turning up late or not showing up at all?
It’s a massive cover up by the LUGOC, as per our sources the initial ground work at Tilak Maiden was done long back to host I-league matches and the laying of the surface and the putting up of chairs was the only thing left. The stadium was renovated prior to the games for the I-League matches and all major work was completed. However, the authorities seem to have got complacent and neglected Tilak Maiden completely as there was lot of pressure to complete the other stadiums. No lost and found counters, LED substitution boards came in for the last two matches, no chairs, screens not functioning properly, scoreboard and clock timer trips all this at an international event. FIFA U-17 WC 2017 knocking at the Goan doors its high time authorities wake up and take this nonsense no more.
