GFA plans to make Duler Stadium I-League compliant with Rs 1.3 crore investment
Panaji: The Goa Football Association (GFA) will seek approval of its general body on Sunday to go ahead with expansion work at the Duler Football Stadium which will help become I-League compliant, allowing Goan clubs to host their national league matches at the venue.
Owned by the GFA, Duler has hosted I-League matches in the past but with a stricter criterion in place, the association needs improvement, particularly with the dressing rooms, which has only two showers and toilets, as against the requirement of four.
'We cannot demolish and build new dressing rooms in the existing place,' said GFA president Caitano Fernandes. 'The plan is to have a new building with two dressing rooms that has four showers and four toilets each.
As per rules, the dressing room must mandatorily accommodate a minimum of 30 people. The new building will also have a referee's room, match commissioner's room and a place for the local organising committee.
We will present the proposal before the general body on Sunday and act accordingly.'
To become compliant, there is also a requirement for a medical room on the ground floor, which the association plans to fulfil by vacating the existing GFA office and converting it to a medical room.
The GFA office will then be located on the first floor of the new building, whenever ready.
The construction is expected to cost GFA Rs 1.26 crore which it hopes to recover from the three clubs who will use the facilities.
'Two clubs have already told us that they are willing to contribute (financially),' said vice president Jonathan de Sousa. 'They could give us an advance rent and we can present a proposal where the clubs can use the facilities for free, for a certain number of years. It helps everyone. The project is expected to be completed within nine months.'
In its press release, the GFA said the 'major development project at the southern side of the stadium could be a revenue changer for Goan football.'
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