Rourkela, Nov. 7: This is one hat-trick that people here are looking forward with all eagerness but it continues to elude them.

Work to build three stadiums had begun a few years ago. While the ones at Koelnagar and Chhend are mini stadiums, the biggest one is slated to come at the famous Birsa Maidan. Though all the three projects were launched with huge fanfare, work on these stadiums stand almost abandoned.

Executive engineer of public works department (PWD) Deepak Tripathy said: 'Our job was to construct and we did it with whatever funds were available and then we were forced to stop work.'

However, he said: 'Additional district magistrate (ADM) K.S. Chakrovorthy has asked us to give an estimate for the completion and our estimate is around Rs 25 lakh.'

'I have asked the PWD authorities to send the estimate soon. For completion of the stadium, I have approached the government,' the ADM said.

'We have also approached the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and some other companies for the maintenance of the stadium once it is completed,' he added.

District sports officer Tej Kumar Xess said: 'A proposal with Rs 85-lakh budget was sent to the government last year. But till date, the government is yet to respond to.'

The steel city does not have a stadium of its own other than the Ispat Stadium, constructed by the Rourkela Steel Plant. Keeping this in mind, the government had decided to have its own ground here. The construction of the big stadium was initiated in 2007-08 at the Birsa Maidan, which is named after legendary tribal leader Birsa Munda.

The playfield, measuring more than nine acres, was used for Ravan Podi and it remained in a shabby condition during rest of the year. That is why the government decided to construct a stadium there and the project was handed over to the PWD. The sports department of the government were supposed to provide the funds.

The stadium was to be built for Rs 2.35 crore and Rs 2 crore was released in the first phase. The construction began right away and in the first phase money was spent on the construction of boundary wall and galleries. After that, work came to a complete standstill. Today, the stadium stands like a ruin. The playground is in a pathetic state and it immediately requires proper levelling for any sporting activities to take place. Ancillary works such as electrification, fencing of the ground, ticket shed, and water connection are yet to be done. Some iron fittings of the stadium are missing in the absence of a watchman.

A herd of elephants that entered the steel town last year took shelter inside the half-built stadium and were there for a couple of days. A former heavyweight boxer from, Lulu Panda said: 'This stadium will spur sporting activities and the government simply does not realise this.'

Rajeev Singh, a sports organiser, said: 'During the initial stages of construction of the stadium, we were elated. We thought we no longer have to rely on the Ispat Stadium. But seven years down the line, we are a disappointed lot. I sincerely wish the stadium is completed soon.'

The construction work of two other mini stadiums were initiated simultaneously at Chhend and Koelnagar in 2009-2010.The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) was given the responsibility to construct the Koelnagar stadium, while the Chhend project was assigned to the Rourkela Development Authority (RDA). Both the stadiums are incomplete. The ADM, who is also the chairman of RDA, said: 'Very soon I am going to take up the issue.'

Till then, Rourkela has not many options to host any games.