City administration let Milkha down on synthetic track

Milkha Singh's efforts for a synthetic running track in the city went in vain as his proposal, which he had made during his 21-year tenure as head of Chandigarh athletics body, couldn't see the light of day due to apathy from administration.
Milkha was president of Chandigarh Athletics Association (CAA) from 1978 to 1999.

"He (Milkha Singh) gave a proposal for a synthetic track to be laid in Sector 7 Sports Complex in early 1990s. He even met officials in the Chandigarh administration but nothing concrete happened," Shiv Kumar Joshi, a top athletics coach in Chandigarh, told IANS.

Besides a seven-lane cinder track, the Sector 7 Sports Complex also has facilities for basketball, volleyball and gymnastics.

"There are three 400m running tracks, including a grassy ground, in Sector 46 Sports Complex but we aren't sure when the synthetic track will come up in Chandigarh," said Joshi.

According to Joshi, it was "Sir's (Milkha Singh) dream" to have the artificial, all-weather running track in Chandigarh.

"A synthetic 400m oval has come up in nearby Mohali in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana, but the proposal is still pending in Chandigarh," added Joshi.-IANS