After 12 yrs, all-weather swimming pool set to open in ctiy
Ludhiana is set to get a new all-weather swimming pool, which will cater to the needs of aspiring swimmers in the city. The newly built pool will be the fourth one in the city, one of which is the King George swimming pool that was built pre-Independence.
The new pool is constructed at Rakh Bagh by the Municipal Corporation, and its development is a part of the Ludhiana Smart City Project. The project, estimated to cost around Rs 6 crore, has been made possible with support from the Smart City fund, reviving a plan that had been previously stalled due to lack of funds.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal recently visited and identified minor issues that need to be addressed. The pool will be opened to the public in the coming days once these lapses are rectified, he said.
Balraj Sharma, international referee, former vice president of Swimming Federation of India, and CEO of the Punjab Swimming Association (PSA), said Ludhiana’s aspiring swimmers have a reason to celebrate, as the city is finally getting an all-weather pool after a very long wait.
“It was in 1997 when the PSA organised the National Swimming Championship and then it was felt that a 25-meter short-course swimming pool should be constructed, for which the association prepared a plan, but the plan failed to materialise,” said Sharma.
With the recent development of an all-weather swimming pool, there is renewed optimism that the city’s swimmers will have access to world-class infrastructure, enabling them to reach new heights in the sport.
The construction of this pool began about twelve years ago but was abandoned midway because of scarcity of funds. Some equipment, purchased for the all-weather pool also turned defunct. However, despite the long delay, the project has now been completed.
The pool’s length is 25 meters and the width 12.5 meter, similar to an Olympic size pool. The depth of the 5-lane pool ranges from 4.5 feet to 6 feet, offering a year-round swimming facility that will be accessible to children and adults alike.
This development is a significant boost for swimming enthusiasts in Ludhiana, who will no longer have to rely on seasonal pools or travel to other cities for training and competition. The pool is expected to enhance recreational options for residents and generate revenue from pool charges.
National-level swimmers from Ludhiana, to whom this correspondent spoke, expressed enthusiasm about the new facility. They believe that this state-of-the-art infrastructure will provide them the ideal environment to hone their skills and take their swimming careers to the next level.
The pool will help bridge the gap between swimmers from northern India and their counterparts from southern states, they said. “Historically, swimmers from southern states have had an advantage due to favourable climate, which has enabled them to dominate the medals tally in swimming competitions at all levels,” said national-level swimmers Kriti Arora and Ojas Sund.
Bhagyavardhika Verma and Jasleen Kau Dhillon, who participated in Khelo India Women Series-I, said the all-weather pool was expected to produce a new generation of talented swimmers from the region, who will be able to compete at the national and international levels. This facility will not only promote swimming as a sport, but also contribute to the growth and development of young athletes in the region.
Vaibhav Kohli, who competed in the 50th Junior National Aquatic Championship, said, “We appreciate the efforts of the authorities in providing the facility, which will enable us to realise our full potential and bring fame to the city and state.”
Ludhiana