By IANS,
New Delhi : The Thyagaraj Sports Complex, the venue for the netball competition for the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games, was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here Friday.
Built from scratch at a cost of Rs.300 crore (Rs.3 billion/$65 million), it is the most talked about venue for the Commonwealth Games because of its environment-friendly features. With retractable chairs, disabled-friendly signages and ramps, and folding doors with fire sensors, it is a state-of-the-art venue.
“This is the only one which has been built right from the scratch and it is our first green stadium,” Dikshit said.
One of the greenest sporting venues in the world, the Thyagaraj Sports Complex boasts of glass glazing for insulation, energy saving light fixtures and water conserving plumbing.
Several environment-friendly technologies — like solar and gas-based power generating systems, rainwater harvesting and an effluent treatment plant — have been used.
It took three years for the public works department (PWD) to construct the multi-disciplinary stadium spanning an area of 16.5 acre with a seating capacity of 5,000. The stadium also has a practice track for athletics, three tennis clay courts and two grass courts.