The Collector inaugurates the cricket pitch at the District Sports Stadium in Katpadi

Collector PS Leela Alex inaugurated the cricket turf set up at a cost of ₹ 50 lakh at the district sports stadium at Katpadi in Vellore on Friday.

Officials of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), which will maintain the facility, said the turf will help raise revenue and promote sports at the local level, especially in rural areas. “The new facility will help aspiring cricketers in rural areas to train in indoor nets with cricket markings and floodlights,” said R. Sethuraman, District Sports Director (Vellore).

SDAT officials said the new box cricket turf measured between 100 feet and 120 feet in length and 50 feet to 70 feet in width, while the height was 20 feet. The new facility with centralized lighting will remain open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all days including Sundays.

Officials said the booking rates were ₹826 per hour, much lower than the market cost of private players who charge ₹1,500 per hour. Young people, who mostly come in groups of 10, could afford it, they said.

All amenities including parking, drinking water and washrooms were provided. Cold drinks and snacks within the complex will be an added value.

The ₹ 10.81 crore district sports complex spread over 36.68 acres, which opened in November 2023, has an outdoor auditorium that can accommodate at least 1,500 spectators, eight separate lanes for 400 meters athletics training, separate courts for basketball, volleyball, table tennis, tennis, football, coco, Javelin can also be practiced in the facility.

Published – 9 Oct 2026 22:08 IST