Decades-old venue that hosted Asian Games and Commonwealth Games to be demolished in ambitious redevelopment plan
Delhi’s historic Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium faces demolition as part of plans to transform its 102-acre complex into a comprehensive Sports City, a sports ministry source confirmed Monday. The ambitious project remains in early planning stages.
Originally constructed for the 1982 Asian Games, the iconic 60,000-capacity stadium has been a cornerstone of Indian sports for over four decades. The facility underwent a massive Rs 961 crore renovation before the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with an additional Rs 50 crore invested recently for upgrades ahead of the World Para Athletics Championships.
“We are still in the ideation phase, studying different models from around the world,” the source explained. “There’s no fixed timeline yet. We’re particularly looking at facilities like Doha Sports City before moving into the planning phase.”
The proposed Sports City would feature venues for all major sporting disciplines alongside residential facilities for athletes—a significant departure from the current setup. “All existing offices will be relocated, and the main stadium will be dismantled,” the source said. “Athletes participating in events will be able to stay near the competition venues.”
The complex currently houses more than just the main football stadium and athletics track. It includes an archery academy, badminton courts, and offices for the Sports Authority of India, National Anti Doping Agency, and National Dope Testing Laboratory, among other facilities.
Officials cite underutilization of the sprawling campus as a key driver for redevelopment. The stadium has hosted numerous landmark events, including the 2010 Commonwealth Games, 2017 U-17 FIFA World Cup, and most recently, the world’s first Para Athletics Championships. For that event alone, new Mondo tracks were installed, 10,000 seats added, and accessibility features upgraded.
The Doha Sports City serves as the primary reference model. Spanning 618 acres, it was developed for the 2006 Asian Games, later hosted matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and remains central to Qatar’s Olympic ambitions.
SAI Launches Major Coaching Drive
Separately, the Sports Authority of India announced its largest coaching recruitment initiative since 2017. The drive aims to hire 320 coaches across 25 disciplines, with half the positions reserved for women. Beyond mainstream sports like hockey, wrestling, boxing, and athletics, the recruitment emphasizes disciplines such as kayaking and canoeing in preparation for next year’s Asian Games.
