Jamshedpur, May 18: Even as the Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) expressed its apprehensions over the conduct of the National Games next year, the state Cabinet approved Rs 377 crore for the construction of a sports complex in Ranchi.

The decision was taken on May 17 during a state Cabinet meeting.

The approval of the state Cabinet was mandatory in the wake of an increase in the total project cost over the earlier estimate of Rs 293 crore.

State sports and youth affairs secretary N.N. Sinha told The Telegraph that an interim committee would be formed under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to oversee the development in the construction work for the project.

The contractors concerned have to complete the project within a time frame of 16 months from now.

The crucial meeting also decided to empower the interim committee to take decisions on its own so that the project could be completed within the stipulated time limit.

The consultant for the project, Singapore-based Meinhardt, has been entrusted with recommending for payment of up to 90 percent of the total cost against the construction.

The sports complex has to be built up in three stages, which include the sports complex, main stadium, indoor stadiums, badminton court, tennis court, swimming pools and sports villages.

The Linge-Simplex joint venture is the contractor for phases one and three.

Hyderabad-based Nagarjuna Construction Private Limited has been appointed the contractor by the state government for the second phase.