Part of Meghalaya football stadium, inaugurated last December, collapses

A portion of the PA Sangma Football Stadium in Meghalaya's Tura which was inaugurated in December last year collapsed on Thursday, officials said.

The iconic stadium, inaugurated by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, is part of the PA Sangma Sports Complex that is being built by the government at a cost of Rs 127 crore, they said.

There were no casualties in the incident, they added.

"Today morning, a part of the peripheral retaining wall of the football stadium of the PA Sangma Sports Complex collapsed. The initial cause has been noted as damage under the duress of heavy rains experienced in Tura and the West Garo Hills region," a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.

"The reasons for the collapse of part of the retaining wall are being inquired into. The Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, has launched an official investigation into the matter," it said.

The implementation of the project has been carried out, incorporating best practices in design, construction supervision, and project management, addressing every requirement of transparency and accountability, the statement said.

Further, all technical drawings of the complex, including the retaining wall, have been vetted and verified by experts from reputed national institutions, it said.

An engineering team from the State Sports Council is conducting a technical investigation, the statement said. The repair works will begin immediately, it said.

It is India's largest football stadium built with pre-fabricated technology, officials said, adding that it has a capacity of 9,500 people. Two indoor halls are additionally being constructed, with a built-up area of 10,544 sq.m.

The first indoor hall will have facilities for swimming and squash as well as a gymnasium. The second hall can facilitate multiple sports, including badminton, table tennis, and basketball, they said.

The indoor halls are expected to be completed in December 2024, they said.

A portion of the under-construction Meghalaya assembly building collapsed in May last year. The 70-tonne dome of the Rs 177.7 crore building collapsed, causing a political furore in the state ahead of assembly elections.