Nagaland begins process to hand over Dimapur stadium to SAI

March 13, 2026 4 Views No Comment

Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 13

Nagaland government is contemplating of handing over the uncompleted project of Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) Dimapur to Sports Authority of India (SAI).

The state Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio informed this at the 8th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 12, in a reply to a starred question raised by MLA Nuklutoshi regarding the status of Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) Dimapur, which has been under construction for more than 20 years.

The CM stated that the project was delayed due to limited financial resources and phased funding over the years. He informed the House that the project, spread across 64.25 acres, is one of the largest sports infrastructure initiatives in the state. Initially, the complex was conceptualised as a major athletic stadium with a proposed seating capacity of 30,000.

He informed that while Rs 140 crore has been received so far, the total requirement for completion of the project is estimated at around Rs 267 crore, including GST and other costs.

The CM recalled his meeting with the then Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur, who deputed officials to inspect the stadium. After verification, an agreement was reached, although the process was later delayed due to changes in ministerial portfolios.

Considering the financial constraints, he said, the government is exploring the option of handing over the project to SAI as a possible solution for completing the remaining construction work and ensuring its full utilization. The process of handing over the facility to SAI is currently underway, he informed.

The CM stated that the second survey of the complex has already been conducted, and the only remaining step is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State Government and SAI.

The paper is with the Law & Justice Department, and once cleared, the MoU will be signed with SAI’s regional directorate, the CM said and added, ‘delays cannot be entirely blamed on the contractor, as funding has not always been sufficient.’

Dr Rio also noted that since the stadium is designed with a seating capacity of around 30,000, at least three entry points would be required to ensure proper access and crowd management.

He said that SAI will not only assist in completing the construction but will also ensure full utilization of the facility, including the deployment of coaches and the establishment of national-standard training centers in different sports disciplines.

According to the CM, the tenure of the Planning Commission, the state government sought financial assistance since Nagaland lacked adequate internal resources. While the Planning Commission agreed to support the project, funds were released in installments of about Rs 11 crore annually between 2006 and 2011, totalling Rs 43 crore during that four-year period.

Revised estimates were later submitted, but with the transition from the Planning Commission to NITI Aayog and the introduction of the GST regime, funding support became uncertain, which slowed down the progress of the project.

Meanwhile, seeking cooperation from all concerned departments, the CM stated that Nagaland’s sports infrastructure still lags behind other states. He expressed confidence that under SAI’s stewardship, the Dimapur Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex would finally “see the light of day.”

Earlier, in written reply to MLA Nuklutoshi, Rural Development Minister Metsubo Jamir cited the delay in completing the project within the stipulated time as; piecemeal receipt of fund from erstwhile Planning Commission amounting to Rs 43 crore between 2006-07 to 2010-11. Thereafter funding stopped from Planning Commission and State Government infused Rs 10 crore in 2011-12. The State Government, in view of strong public demand, infused an amount of Rs 87 crore between 2019-20 till 2024-25, Jamir stated. An amount of Rs 140 crore have been received towards the project, he added.