Srinagar, Dec 4,: Member of Parliament Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has written to the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports seeking immediate release of funds to install floodlights at the sports stadium in Alamdar Colony, Charar-e-Sharief, citing urgent infrastructure gaps that are hampering youth engagement in sports across the area.
According to the communication addressed to Mansukh Mandaviya, Ruhullah said the stadium serves as a primary centre for sporting activity in the Charar-e-Sharief belt but remains unusable after sunset due to the absence of illumination. He warned that the lack of lighting is severely limiting structured training, community matches and talent development, especially during winter when daylight hours are short.
Ruhullah stated that local youth are actively involved in cricket, football and athletics but are unable to continue practice beyond daylight. “The absence of lighting has effectively curtailed regular training schedules and organised tournaments, restricting participation and development,” he said in the letter.
The MP argued that the installation of floodlights would not merely improve usability but also help channel youth energy into constructive activities, strengthen the region’s sports ecosystem and open pathways for young athletes to reach state and national competitions.
He urged the Union Ministry to sanction and release the required funds at the earliest to facilitate installation of modern lighting infrastructure, stating that delayed action would continue to deprive youth of basic sporting access in a key population pocket of the Srinagar constituency. [KNT]
