Bigger & better plans for Hockey World Cup 2023: Odisha lays down the roadmap

Odisha is pulling out all stops for the upcoming FIH Hockey Men's World Cup next year to ensure that the event is even bigger and better than its previous edition. Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra emphasised on the challenges of the event as it will be held in two cities – Bhubaneswar and Rourkela -- at the same time, according to a release by the Chief Minister's Office on Monday.

"We are confident of ensuring a smooth, successful and memorable world cup for players, officials, fans and spectators," he said during a meeting with top officials at the Loka Seba Bhavan, the state secretariat. Mohapatra underlined that certain areas needed special attention and "we will be reviewing the development periodically".

The quadrennial tournament is scheduled to be held from January 13-29, 2023. The state is hosting the marquee event for the second time in a row after hosting it in Bhubaneswar in 2018. The chief secretary pointed out that several government departments had been asked to repeat the seamless efforts that were made to execute an "exceptional event" last time.

"We are hoping to better the last edition by adding new aspects to draw in more crowds, engage fans and also positively impress the visiting tourists," he added. At the meeting, officials discussed the roles and responsibilities for different areas, including security, connectivity and tourism.

Construction of the infrastructure in co-host Rourkela in western Odisha's Sundargarh district is going on in full swing and is expected to be ready soon. The beautification of Rourkela has also been keenly taken up by the district administration. In Bhubaneswar, new turf has been laid at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium recently and it is match-ready.