Work on deserted squash complex resumes

LAHORE: Finally the construction work of the long-abandoned Squash Complex started in Nishtar Park Sports Complex on Tuesday.

The six-court Squash Complex will be completed at a cost of Rs386 million in two years, according to a Sports Board Punjab (SBP) press release.

Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said that Squash Complex was abandoned for more than two decades due to different reasons.

“But now with the grace of Allah, we are going to complete this grand project in less than two years’ period. We will invite Prime Minister Imran Khan for the inauguration of this project,” he vowed.

It may be mentioned that the work on the complex was halted in the mid 1990s due to red-tapism and during this period though the previous government showed interest in resuming the remaining construction work, but the red-tapism could not start it. There was also a report that the structure of the complex remained without a roof for many years and it had become weakened.

The minister said: “We did not face any major problem barring some delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year. Since the promotion of sports and welfare of players have been top priorities of our government, we are pretty confident of completing this project without any disruption.”

DG Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, along with Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti visited the Squash Complex site and inspected different areas of the project on Tuesday.