TT Epaper
The Telegraph
TT Photogallery
 
 
IN TODAY'S PAPER
WEEKLY FEATURES
CITIES AND REGIONS
SEARCH
 
Archives Web
 
ARCHIVES
Since 1st March, 1999
 
THE TELEGRAPH
 
CIMA Gallary
 
Email This Page
Lights to shine again
- Matches to be held in the evening on May 1 and 4

Guwahati, April 29: The high mastlights in the Nehru Stadium will glow again for the final round matches of the ongoing ONGC second division I-league football tournament on May 1 and 4.

Disclosing this, Assam Football Association (AFA) sources said the lights, which failed because of a technical snag on the inaugural day (April 17), would be tested again tomorrow. If they work properly, the second matches of May 1 and 4 would be held at Nehru Stadium under floodlights.

The matches were scheduled to be played at Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium from 3.15pm simultaneously with another match at Nehru Stadium on the particular two dates.

Breaking the Assam State Electricity Board’s silence over the power failure fiasco on April 17, board official Debashish Bose said there was no major fault. “It was a minor snag caused by shortage of power supply,” he said.

“Though we worked from April 12 to 16 to repair the damages and tested the lights successfully twice, a minor snag developed after 45 minutes of service. There can be a power interruption because of the slightest defect even in the overhead transmission lines. We will test the lights late this evening and tomorrow and if we succeed, it will be upon the tournament committee to decide whether they hold it under lights or during the day,” Bose said.

He, however, added that the electricity board could not guarantee uninterrupted power supply “keeping in view the shortage of supply as well as the weather conditions when thunderstorms have been regular almost every night”.

The matches on May 1 and 4 will assume significance in view of being crucial ties involving Indian Bank, Vasco SC and Pune FC who will have to fight it out for a berth in the first division I-league.

Chirag United, Mumbai FC and Mohd Sporting have almost confirmed their berths in the first division with nine, seven and six points respectively.

The top four in the tally will qualify for the first division league.

Pune FC and Indian Bank are languishing at the bottom of the tally with nought and Vasco are on four points after three rounds in the five-round league.

Meanwhile, AFA sources said Chirag United have objected to playing against Mumbai FC on May 4 under floodlights. The sources, not wishing to be quoted, said the Calcutta team had signed in the fixture rescheduling last evening but later raised objection before the tournament officials.

Top
Email This Page