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Hosting Olympic qualifier, Pune’s Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex to get 30 lakh water tank after shortage

The Sports complex has an athletics stadium, indoor hall, gymnastic hall, wrestling hall, three hostel buildings for sportspersons, Kho-Kho, kabaddi, volleyball, basketball, handball, swimming pool, lawn tennis, cycling velodrome and staff quarters.

The Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, is set to get a 30-lakh-litre overhead water tank after facing water shortages.he PMC will construct the tank following directions from Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to ensure uninterrupted supply for upcoming events and sports academies. (File Photo)

A host to many a national and international sports competitions, including the upcoming Olympic qualifier cycle race, the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex is facing a water shortage for which the state government has directed the Pune civic body to construct a separate overhead tank of 30 lakh litres, that would help meet the water demand of the complex which.

The sports complex, sprawling across 151 acres of land in Mahalunge-Balewadi was developed ahead of national games in 1994. It hosted the national games to start with the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008, Asian Football Cup for women among the various sports competitions including premier league matches of Kabbaddi and Kho-Kho.

The state office of Sports Academy is in the complex and the government run Sports Academy for Pune district is in the sports complex with the facility of hostels for students and staff. The Sports complex has an athletics stadium, indoor hall, gymnastic hall, wrestling hall, three hostel buildings for sportspersons, Kho-Kho, kabaddi, volleyball, basketball, handball, swimming pool, lawn tennis, cycling velodrome and staff quarters. It also has an independent hostel facility for students of sports academies with 72 rooms for boys and 63 rooms for girls wherein 400 students can stay. It also has 30 families of staff residing in the complex.

For Commonwealth Games, additional sports facilities were increased in the complex with development of a badminton hall, table tennis hall, shooting range, fitness centre, sports Science centre, two new hostels, and a swimming pool for practice. The overall seating capacity in the sports complex is 11,000.

“The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has been supplying four lakh liters of water every day for the sports complex since the beginning. However, the increased facility and use of sports complex has increased the water supply needed for the sports complex. Thus, the PMC has been urged to provide at least three lakh litres of water per day to the sports complex,” said Sudhir More, Deputy Director of state Sports and Youth Service department.

He said Guardian minister Ajit Pawar directed PMC to provide the required water supply to the sports complex and in return the sports complex should provide land to PMC for construction of overhead water tanks for the sports complex and Sus-Mahalunge area. “The sports complex will not charge any compensation for land given to PMC and the civic body too should not seek any financial support for the construction of a water tank. The PMC would provide three lakh litre water to sports complex every day at no cost and would levy nominal rate if excess water is used,” said More.

Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said that the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex was supplied water by PCMC but now the Mahalunge village where the part of sports facility is developed has been included in PMC jurisdiction so it was the responsibility of the Pune civic body to provide water supply to the sports complex. “It would be appropriate to get the land for the overhead water tank from the sports complex. There is no land available for the purpose so the project to construct an overhead tank for supplying to Sus and Mahalunge has been delayed,” he said.

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background  Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi.  "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More


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