Rourkela, March 27: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone for the first indoor stadium in Rourkela on February 24. But Birsa Stadium, the city's mega outdoor stadium, cannot be completed because of lack of funds.

Naveen had laid the foundation stone of Birsa Stadium about four years ago.

While sport lovers here are excited about the indoor stadium that would come up at Panposh at a cost of more than Rs 3.5 crore, the status of the Birsa Stadium is a dampener.

The civic administration had removed encroachments near the Birsa Stadium complex when Naveen laid the foundation stone for it amid much fanfare in 2012. But, parts of the stadium, which has the potential to host major matches, are now being used to organise small-scale events such as office programmes.

Only one gallery of the stadium is complete, while three more such provisions cannot be completed because of lack of funding.

Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) chairman and former MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak, who had initiated the construction of the stadium, told The Telegraph: "Severe funds crunch has led to the delay in the completion of the stadium." Nayak said Rs 2 crore was required to build each of the galleries.

Additional district magistrate K. Sundarshan Chakroborthy, who is also in charge of the stadium project, said: "We require at least Rs 1.5 crore for initial infrastructure work." Chakroborthy hopes that funds would come as the stadium is an integral part of Rourkela's smart city proposal.

He said: "We are trying to use of the stadium to generate resources. So far, four low-profile sporting event were held."

The half-built stadium has a 12ft boundary wall and its only gallery on the western side. The natural turf is still being developed, but it is yet to come to a level where important sporting events can be held.

Sportspersons are upset over the non-completion of the stadium. A local cricketer said: "If the much-awaited stadium is completed, we can host major tournaments such as Ranji and Duleep Trophy."