Tirupati: Srinivasa Sports Complex regains strength

Tirupati: The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) controlled 'Srinivasa Sports Complex (SSC)' which was in red till few years back able to reach the break-even point thanks to the overhauling of its administration plugging loopholes that were causing losses.

SSC was thrown open for providing coaching under 'pay and play package' in May 2003 but was remained idle for six months before functioning full-fledged from January 2004. Though facilities wise it is one of the best and biggest sports complexes in Rayalaseema region, the sports complex due to loopholes in the administration remained in red and struggled even for its proper maintenance for over a decade as its monthly earnings were far less than its expenses.

Monthly, the SSC has to spend about Rs 2 lakh including power charges which alone is about Rs 60,000, salaries to 15 employees including 3 coaches, four fourth class employees and remaining maintenance staff and also expenses for materials required for maintenance of various facilities in SSC.

SSC Administrative Officer (AO) Varalakshmi said that 'when I took charge three years back I was surprised to find the SSC is in losses though good number of players availing the facilities. More than 300 practitioners including skating 40, badminton (shuttle) 80, tennis 20 and swimming 100 were regularly practicing but the monthly total receipts towards the payments from the players was not even Rs 50,000'. "I slowly but steadily curbed the players practicing without making any payment and also drastically cut short expenses which helped the SSC come out of red," she explained.

The annual income which was only about Rs 50,000 in 2015 increased to Rs 26.39 lakh in 2016, Rs 30.65 lakh in 2017 and Rs 31.73 lakh in 2018 helping the SSC to overcome the losses to become profit making now.

This year, there was slight decrease as the swimming pool which is the major earner was closed since March which is the peak summer season attracting maximum number of practitioners, she said exuding confidence that the income would pick up once the swimming pool with its added facility of a separate Baby swimming.

The SAAP also provided 7 coaches for hockey, cricket, swimming, wrestling etc. to support the SSC provide practice to enthusiastic youth in various sports and games. She said that the multi-gym set up with a cost of Rs 50 lakh remaining underutilised. Efforts are on to enrol the students studying in the colleges near the sports complex to enrol for the gym facility and also attract more number of youth to avail the facilities in SSC to enhance its revenue, she explained.

The facilities in the sports complex built on a sprawling 4.5 acre site located in between SV Arts College and SV University includes a multi-purpose indoor stadium with four shuttle courts, two synthetic turf lawn tennis courts and space to accommodate four tables for the table tennis events also has a 450-metre jogging track, skating rink, dressing rooms and dormitory for 70 persons and a fitness room.

R Sridhar, a sportsman said that there is scope for introducing more facilities like volleyball, basketball courts and facility for boxing practice, a combat sports which more and more youth are showing interest now. Saying that there is remarkable improvement in maintenance and administration of SSC, he wanted SSC take up special campaigns and also offer concession to students to induce them practice in SSC.

This would be beneficial to both the youth to lead a healthy and disciplined life and SSC enhance its revenues which is essential to add more facilities.