Rourkela, Sept. 2: Construction of the first fully-equipped indoor stadium in the city will begin shortly.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation of Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium on February 24. The new stadium, which will have will have multi-disciplinary facilities, is set to come up on nearly two acres at Jatra Padia adjacent to Panposh Circuit House.

"There will be facilities for badminton, basketball, volleyball, kho-kho and also a gymnasium," said chairman of Rourkela Development Authority Sarada Prasad Nayak.

Nayak said the hall would have two badminton courts and one basketball court. The indoor court will have all the facilities to host national and international-level tournaments. The stadium will also have its own parking facility.

"There will be outdoor courts for games such as volleyball, lawn tennis and kho-kho," Nayak said.

The project will cost more than Rs 3.5 crore and will be completed within one year. The tender process of the stadium has been completed.

"The tender process is complete and the work has been awarded to Bihar Construction, a firm based in the city," said public works department executive engineer Deepak Tripathy.

Sports organisers, sports lovers and sportspersons welcomed the news about the stadium. Former national-level heavyweight boxer Lulu Panda, said: "The complex should have something for boxing as it is also an indoor sport."

He also said that if the government could provide proper coaching facilities, the city would be able to produce quality sportspersons.