Omar Abdullah inaugurates Rs 30.35-crore sports infrastructure at Srinagar sports centre

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the projects would provide young athletes with opportunities to pursue a wider range of sports and train throughout the year.

“Through this facility, we are trying to provide students with a new sporting environment. For the first time, Kashmir has an Olympic-sized swimming pool. With a solar-powered heating system, children will be able to train here for all 12 months of the year,” Omar said.

The Rs 5.35-crore all-weather training and toddler pool complex has been developed for year-round use and includes an indoor lap pool, a child-friendly toddler pool, solar-powered heating facilities, anti-skid decking, advanced filtration and disinfection systems, and supporting changing and shower facilities. The facility is expected to serve athletes, students and the wider community, particularly during winter months.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated a Rs 5.04-crore indoor gymnastics hall, spread over an area measuring 36 metres by 21 metres with a height of 10 metres. Equipped with modern gymnastics apparatus, the hall is expected to strengthen coaching and training facilities in a discipline that has seen growing interest among young athletes in Kashmir.

Referring to the new gymnastics facility, Omar said the absence of dedicated infrastructure had limited opportunities for aspiring gymnasts in the Valley.

“Whenever gymnastics in Jammu and Kashmir is discussed, the focus is generally on Jammu. However, children in Kashmir are equally interested in the sport. Due to the lack of infrastructure, they could not pursue it adequately,” he said.

“A magnificent indoor gymnastics hall has been inaugurated today. We will continue to add more sporting disciplines and facilities so that our children have greater choice and opportunities to explore new sports,” he added.

During the event, the Chief Minister witnessed live demonstrations by swimmers and gymnasts at the newly inaugurated facilities.

The new infrastructure is expected to boost grassroots participation in sports, improve access to professional coaching and create stronger pathways for athletes to compete at national and international levels. The all-weather aquatic facilities will also ensure uninterrupted training during the winter season.