Visakhapatnam: The newly constructed indoor sports arena at MVP colony in Vizag city, developed jointly by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) under the Vizag smart city project, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on May 11. The facility, developed by RKEC Projects, has been built on VMRDA land with a budget of approximately 22 crore provided by GVMC.
The indoor arena has multiple sports amenities, including badminton, basketball, and volleyball courts, a swimming pool, a jogging track, a children’s play area, open gym, parking facilities, and other amenities. The facility is designed to meet green building requirements and is equipped with a solar power system, water treatment facility, and no-smoke system, ensuring it receives a GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) rating.
The 4,776 sq mt indoor setting has a sports hall with a four-layered roof sheeting, retractable seating for 300 people, and dormitories, a TV lounge, and a board game room. The exterior development amenities include a jogging track, an open gym space, a swimming pool, and a kid’s pool. The facility also has parking for four-wheelers, two-wheelers, and space for the disabled. Additional electrical and mechanical features include HVA with basement ventilation, firefighting, fire alarm, public address system, and CCTV coverage.
The facility is expected to provide a solution to the multi-utility grounds problem faced by the playgrounds in and around MVP colony and Andhra University, where many groups play simultaneously in a haphazard manner. The indoor sports arena, said to be Andhra Pradesh’s first integrated facility, is expected to serve as a model for all future initiatives that aim to plan various sports facilities on a modest budget.