Ranchi: A plan to set up of at least one open gym in each district headquarters has been stalled for now with the state sports department deciding to channel funds meant for it to the promotion of archery, but officials insist that the fitness project had not been shelved for good.

Sports director Ranendra Kumar said they were now focussed on setting up an archery excellence centre at the mega sports complex at Hotwar and upgrading other archery centres run by the Tribal Research Institute (TRI), of which he was also director.

"There is an issue about funds for the open gym project as most of the approved funds are now being invested for the archery excellence centre. Equipment like bow and arrow for both recurve and compound disciplines are expensive. We also have a plan to set up a centre of excellence in hockey," he said, adding that the freeze on the open gym plan was temporary.

The department is also simultaneously drawing up plans to provide equipment to other archery training centres at Silli, Jonha (both in Ranchi), Chandankyari (Bokaro), Seraikela-Khersawan and Chaibasa.

"All these require lots of money. We shall explore options for open gym when the state tables a supplementary budget in the Assembly later," said Kumar.

The aim behind the open gym project, conceived of earlier this year, was to offer pocket-friendly workout spaces for the general public and sportspersons which would also spread the word about the importance of fitness. However, the tendering processes for procuring gym equipment had to be cancelled a couple of days back, said sources in the sports department.

"Yes, the tenders had to be stalled for the time being," confirmed Kumar, but insisted that they would pursue the open gym project judiciously.

The proposed archery excellence centre is scheduled to come up at the trap shooting range next to the velodrome at the mega sports complex. Once operational, it would induct 32 boys and girls as cadets. The centre will be residential in nature and is meant to offer budding archers a venue to pursue the sport once they clear matric or intermediate.

This is meant to address a longstanding lacunae in offering archery training as the existing centres run or supported by the government are only for school students.

The sports department is expected to spend over Rs 3 crore for the Hotwar archery training centre. "On July 9, Mahendra Sardar will join us as chief coach. He was in Gujarat and is willing to return to his home state," Kumar said.