Hyderabad, Mar 28 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday said that the state government has drawn up plans to develop a sports stadium at Gachibowli here on par with international standards to compete for hosting the Olympics in 2034.
Reddy, who inaugurated the first edition of the Telangana Legislators’ Sports and Cultural Meet-2026 at the L B Stadium here, donned football jersey and played the game with young players.
“We have readied plans to develop world-class sports facilities with Rs 700 crore in the 70-acre sports grounds at Gachibowli in such a way to host Olympics in 2034. We are going to start the works there in three months. Telangana government is going to take decisions to conduct international competitions in the Gachibowli grounds in three years,” he said.
He also announced plans to develop the hockey sports ground at Begumpet and the historic L B Stadium on a grand scale.
Recalling that Hyderabad had hosted international sports events, including the Afro-Asian Games and the World Military Games from 1999 to 2007, he slammed the previous BRS government for neglecting sports.
The state government has adopted a sports policy to promote sportspersons at the grassroots, he said.
Highlighting that the state government is encouraging sportspersons in a big way, he urged youth to take an interest in sports as it will also help their future prospects.
Reddy took exception to BRS criticism against the state government hosting football legend Lionel Messi during his recent India tour.
Taking a swipe at BRS, he asked if the opposition party would have been happy if the Mexican drug lord (El Mencho) who was killed by security forces should have been invited to the state.
He also criticised the BRS for staying away from the legislators’ sports events.
The government is promoting sports as it wants youth to stay away from drugs and other bad habits, he said.
Reddy, an avid sports lover and football player, had played a friendly football match with Messi when the latter visited Hyderabad in December last year. PTI SJR SJR KH
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