Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Diyagama conforms to international
requirements
by Leslie Fernando
|
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Diyagama, Homagama. |
NEW STADIUM: Sri Lanka sportsmen and sportswomen will greatly benefit
with the opening of the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in
Diyagama, Homagama last Thursday by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This
stadium is the second biggest stadium in the country and will have the
facilities of conducting a number of sporting events, namely track and
field, football, rugby, volleyball, netball, basketball, rifle shooting,
archery and swimming.
The feature at the stadium will be the newly laid modern track which
was installed at a cost of Rs. 37 million. In addition, the track unlike
the Sugathadasa Stadium will consist of nine lanes. The stadium is
constructed at a cost of Rs. 110 million under the Seventh Engineering
of Sri Lanka army covering an area of 140 acres.
It should be noted that if this stadium was constructed by a private
firm, the cost would have been around Rs. 350 million said Major General
Palitha Fernando, President of Sri Lanka Athletics.
This stadium will have better facilities than the Sugathadasa
Stadium. A hostel has been built to accommodate over 200 persons and
there is also a auditorium for purpose of conducting lectures and
meetings. A special medicine unit gymnasium and a meeting room are also
available.
There is also a swimming pool conforming to international standard
and indoor stadium and official headquarters ready for use. |
