Mahendranagar, 19 September
Phapla Cricket Ground and Sports Village located at Dhangadhi in Kailali has been lying idle for four years. Four years have passed since the government announced that the Phapla cricket ground located in Dhangadhi-4 will be developed as an international-level ground and sports village. However, the process of making its DPR has not yet started.
Under the pressure of the far-western cricketers and cricket lovers who launched the 'Dream Phapla' campaign, the state government arranged a budget to build an international cricket ground in the fiscal year 2076/77 under the state pride project. That year, the state government had spent 60 million rupees to surround the ground. Now, due to a lack of protection and security, the field has become Goucharan.
The state government has been allocating a budget every year to make Phapla Ground an international-level cricket ground. However, the budget has not been spent. On the other hand, after the federal government announced the construction of an international cricket ground on May 26, 2079, this plan was not included in the state government's budget. In 2079, the Government of Nepal issued the 'Fapla International Cricket Ground and Sports Village Infrastructure Construction and Development Committee Formation Order' and has also formed a committee.
On May 23, 2079, the government nominated Subas Shahi, the actor of 'Dream Fapla', as the chairman of the Fapla International Cricket Ground and Sports Village Infrastructure Development Committee. One year and three months have passed since the committee was formed for three years. This committee has not even started the process of making DPR for infrastructure construction. The master plan has been constructed so that it can be built in five years at a cost of 15 billion rupees.
On January 24, 2078, the government provided 38 bighas of land for that field. Shahi, the chairman of the committee, said that one year after the formation of the committee, the establishment of the office and the recruitment of staff were completed. No special budget was given. The financial year 2079/80 was completed with the establishment of the office and recruitment of staff, he said.
According to Chairman Shahi, the committee has recently started preparations to build a cricket ground and sports village. The federal government has given the committee a budget of 75 lakh rupees for the current year to prepare the DPR and manage the office. Chairman Shahi said that preparations are being made to make a tender for DPR. He said, "The main thing is the DPR." When DPR is good, construction is also good. That is why we are emphasizing preparation.
Phapla ground was chosen as there was no ground to conduct Dhangadhi Premier League (DPL). After that, the 'Dream Fapla' campaign was launched eight years ago to make Fapla an international cricket ground. The 'Dream Fapla Abhiyan', which was conducted with the aim of making Dhangadhi a hub for cricket, has led to the Fapla International Cricket Ground and Sports Village project. However, for four years, the project has been limited to the state government through the Nepal government.
Under the project, a parapet, gymnasium, swimming pool, cricket museum, practice ground, international level taekwondo and indoor hall, football field, parking, training building, media center, etc. will be built on the 38 bigha land provided by the government.
Khelgram has been envisioned to be developed as a tourist area on the Mohana River connected with Phapla, a business center around the ground, hospitality, and culinary arts area. It is expected that the establishment of Fapla International Cricket Ground and Sports Village will contribute significantly to the development of the game as well as the development of business and tourism here.
