The Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA) started repairing the wooden courts at Mohan Ahuja Stadium in Bistupur, Jamshedpur, on Thursday in the run-up to the 48th Mohan Memorial State-level Badminton Tournament next week.

A carpenter was seen busy at the centre court in the morning, removing damaged planks and replacing them with new ones. All the three courts, which have not been repaired since 1960, have become uneven. Most of the planks have weakened due to wear and tear over the years.

The JBA will also cover a portion of the ceiling with tarpaulin to prevent water from dripping onto the courts everytime it pours outside.

The repair work is expected to be complete in two days.

Sources revealed that the wooden base underneath the courts had also weakened and might collapse anytime. Although the facility needs an exhaustive renovation, the JBA is not inclined to do so as the sports body is caught up in a legal tangle with Tata Steel over the facility.

The steel major had on September 2014, asked the badminton association to vacate the stadium. However, the outfit had moved court claiming that the facility had been leased out to it till December 2017.

The matter is currently sub judice.

However, with the tournament drawing near, the JBA decided to make the venue play-ready. "We are repairing the courts in the wake of the state championship. We cannot replace the courts completely till the legal matter is resolved," outfit secretary K. Prabhakar Rao told The Telegraph.

The August 9 to 13 tournament is a much-sought-after event among district-level players as the championship acts as a launchpad for graduating to the state team for national competitions.

Shuttlers welcomed the JBA initiative.

"It is a good initiative to repair the courts but the state association should find a permanent solution to the problem. After all, no one would like to suffer injuries because of the poor condition of the courts," said a shuttlers who is a regular at the stadium.

Mohan Ahuja Stadium is used for morning and evening practices daily. Fitness enthusiasts also sweat it out at the venue. The JBA lets out the venue, which is located at a prime location, for wedding receptions as well.