Gurugram stadium changes parking lot for Haryana CM’s helicopter, athletes lose access

Athletes training at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurgaon were left without access to the facility for four days after a helicopter carrying Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was parked on the stadium premises.

Saini was on a three-day visit to Singapore and was scheduled to take a helicopter back to Chandigarh after returning to Gurgaon. The city currently does not have a helipad for state or civil aviation ministries, while parking a helipad at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi would incur additional charges. Haryana CM helicopter parked at Tau Devi Lal Stadium. (Photo: X)

OFFICERS SELL THE BUCK

India Today approached the district sports officer in Gurgaon to clarify why the athletes were denied entry to the stadium. The officer said that the operation of the facility comes under the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).

India Today then contacted the manager of the stadium complex, Mr. Sangwan, who said that if the chief minister’s office had asked for the helicopter to be parked inside the stadium, there was nothing the authorities could have done to stop it.

The exchange left responsibility for the decision unclear, with the district sports authority pointing to the GMDA, while the stadium grounds manager said the use of the stadium was at the request of the chief minister’s office.

India Today made further attempts to contact the officials concerned to further clarify who authorized the use of the stadium and why the athletes were barred from entering the facility. However, calls to officials went unanswered after initial responses.

STADIUM CLOSURES A REGULAR OCCURRENCE

The incident also raised concerns among athletes and coaches about the use of the sports facility for VIP helicopter operations. The Tech Word News reported that athletes said the incident was not isolated and that almost every month a helicopter is parked outside the stadium for a day or two.

Saini’s media adviser told TOI that the helicopter remained at the stadium due to a mechanical fault and was not kept there as a contingency.

However, local athletes and coaches told IndiaToday.in that using the stadium for helicopter operations is commonplace. They said the stadium remains closed for athletes for about two days every month due to such helicopter transfers.

Competing accounts leave questions about how often the stadium is used for VIP helicopter operations and what impact this has on the athletes who train at the facility.

The use of the facility is particularly noteworthy in a state with a strong sporting culture and a significant contribution to India’s medal tally at major international events. At the 2026 Asian Games, Haryana won 32 of India’s 85 medals, including 14 gold, nine silver and nine bronze. Of the 207 Indian athletes who returned from the Games with medals, 45 were from Haryana.

OTHER CASES OF VIP CULTURE

The incident in Gurgaon is not the first time that athletes in India have found their access to sports facilities affected by activities involving officials or other non-sporting events. In 2022, athletes and coaches at Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium claimed that they were asked to end their practice early so that Delhi Chief Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar could walk his dog at the facility.

Khirwar denied asking the athletes to leave for this reason, while the stadium manager said the official practice times ended at 7pm. The controversy led to the transfer of Khirwar to Ladakh and his wife, IAS officer Rinku Dugga, to Arunachal Pradesh.

Athletes at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi have also repeatedly complained about the disruption caused by the concert. Following Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in October 2024, the athletics track remained closed for 10 days, forcing athletes to train on the warm-up track while cleaning and restoration work took place.

The issue resurfaced in 2025 when athletes and coaches sought clarity on access to the stadium as it prepared to host a Travis Scott concert. Repeated complaints eventually prompted the Sports Authority of India to introduce stricter standard operating procedures for non-sporting events at the JLN Stadium, including provisions to ensure that such events do not disrupt athletes’ training or competition.

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