The Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament is barely a month away and the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, the venue in the centre of all the action, is getting a major facelift.
A fresh coat of paint, redone seating, renovated spaces for media, athletes, tournament officials, a new practice court and a brand new turf - all of this is coming up at the Stadium located in the heart of the city in Egmore.
The new blue ‘Poly Grass’ turf being laid at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium for the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament from Aug. 3 to 12. The relaying work is expected to get over by July 20. | Photo Credit: VEDHAN M / THE HINDU
However, the change many will sit up and take note of is the laying of the new blue Poligras turf.
Sourced from Germany, twenty-seven rolls are being used to cover every inch of the playing area here, ensuring this tournament has playing conditions and a surface that matches international norms. Incidentally, this very astroturf variant will also be used in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Poligras Paris GT zero is described as a carbon zero hockey turf, made from 80 percent biobased material - sugarcane. Its water absorbent properties also means lesser water than before needs to be used in its upkeep - 30 percent less according to the organisers of the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai. That effectively means, if you water the court, two matches can run one after the other. The previous pitch needed watering regularly.
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Work to relay the turf has been one for over a month, with the old surface being stripped and rolled away and the surface levelled. The relaying of the pitch has been planned in a way to ensure the best drainage of water from the surface. This turf has been laid in layers and has been glued down rather than stitched as it would be in the olden days. This is to facilitate easy removal and transport of the surface as is to another venue should the need arise.
After the surface is laid, the lines will be drawn to make scoring areas.
NEXT ON THE CHECKLIST - SPECTATOR PARKING
Another big headache for the organisers is to facilitate parking.
Officials are looking at the then Corporation Tennis Stadium—built in 1946—which has been lying in a disused state inside the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium complex, for a temporary parking slot. This was the area first earmarked for the practice courts but was then dumped in favour of the TNTA courts further inside the complex. The Tamil Nadu State Archives Department (near the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium) and Egmore Railway Station are places where officials are seeking permission from the concerned authorities for parking vehicles for spectators.
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