CM’s grand sports vision: A section of the long delayed Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex, also ignominiously known by the moniker— coliseum, as seen on February 17, 2025, some 19 years following the initiation of the project.
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• Says contractor keeping its side of bargain
• Fund constraint reportedly the issue
• Recommends prioritising completion
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 17
Completing the Nagaland Chief Minister’s ambitious Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) in Dimapur would reportedly require some 200 more crore rupees. The approximation was revealed during the Committee on Government Assurances (2014-25) on site inspection of the MDSC, ignominiously known as the ‘Coliseum,’ on February 17. Chairperson of the Committee, MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu, led the inspection, accompanied by his Assembly colleagues, including the Advisor for Youth Resource and Sports, S Keoshu Yimchunger. Nibu Nagi, Managing Director of NN Construction & Decors, the firm contracted for the project was also on site.
Otherwise, Nienu held that the contracted firm has been keeping its side of the bargain. He commented, “That means we cannot blame the contractor and the Department (Youth Resources and Sports).”
Going by the approximated figures, Committee Chairperson, Nienu deduced that the issue at hand was financial; implying the reason for the extended delay has been on account of fund constraint.
The catch however is that only 22 percent of the stadium has been raised, while the government has released to the contractor only 20 percent of the fund invested already.
At the current rate, completing the stadium is projected to cost around Rs 250 cr in total. This approximation is inclusive of the amount already invested.
Assuming finance was available, the stadium in Dimapur would be completed in 2 years time, according to the contractor. Nibu Nagi, Managing Director of NN Construction & Decors, reiterated what has been reported over the past few years.
He maintained that the work order was issued in 2006 via a financial dole-out to the state government from the erstwhile Planning Commission. The initial provision was reportedly around Rs 50-60 cr, doled out in instalments of Rs 10 cr per year.
With the scrapping of the Planning Commission, the funding allegedly stopped, compelling the state government to look for other means. The state government tried allocating fund from the State Plan, on and off, but it reportedly proved to be a tough calling.
“This project has been delayed for one simple reason, because of no funding,” said Nagi. According to him, it was the first time a government nominated committee of legislators came to inspect the site.
He recalled Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, in his first term, sharing his vision of building a world class stadium in Dimapur, worthy of hosting the National Games, back in 2003. The other reason, as told by the CM then, was preventing encroachment on the land on which the half complete stadium stands.
Nagi said, “With that vision we started this but because of fund constraint the project has been stalled.” The total land area covering the sports complex is said to come to around 64.5 acres.
While channeling fund into completing the stadium is the main concern, he said that theft of materials at the project site has been a big menace. In this regard, he requested the Committee to lay emphasis on putting up a strong security fencing around the stadium. Rumour has it that his firm was assigned to develop the entire available land. However, he clarified that his contract was only for building the stadium.
Nienu claimed that the Committee was on site to show that the government is not sleeping over issue. He said that inspite of repeated assurances by the Chief Minister in the Assembly, there has been unprecedented delay. While stating that the Committee will press upon the government to place priority on completing the project, he said, “This inspection is a wakeup call to the government to expedite (and prioritise) this project and at least place some fund.”
Fund has been the major talking point with regard to the project. But the stadium has one other lesser known issue—approach road. An engineer of the concerned department said that the stadium requires 4-lane entry-exit routes, for which there is not enough land, as required of world-class stadium.
