‘Mangalagiri Stadium to be ready soon’

The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) general secretary Gokaraju Ganga Raju announced on Friday that the stadium at Mangalagiri would be ready even before the new capital is built in Amaravati.

Speaking post the 62nd annual general meeting, where Gokaraju was re-elected for second term, Gangaraju, said that the sprawling international stadium is coming up on 23 acres of land which would be a jewel in the crown of the new capital. He said that the stadium construction works were delayed due to the failure of the contractor to handle the work.

“ACA had decided to split the work into two and give the work to another contractor so as to complete it soon,” he added. “We have also constructed an indoor stadium in the same place at Mangalagiri which would be inaugurated in next two months, once the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) elections are held.

The indoor stadium will have eight wickets with all facilities including video recording, bowling machines, flood lights and professional coaches,” Gokaraju observed. The general secretary also said that the ACA had spruced up several turf wickets and playfields in 11 districts in the State.

“Barring two distircts, the district budget has been rehashed from Rs 12 lakh per annum to Rs 15 lakh,” Gokaraju informed. The elections which were held unanimously selcetd the follinwe gofficer bears for the year 2015-2019.

The general body elected DVSS Somayajulu as president, Gokaraju Ganga Raju as general secretary, GVK Ranga Raju, VVS RGK Yachendra, M V Siva Reddy, M Subba Raju, GJJ Raju, T Trinadha Raju , P Sunil Ratna Kumar, K Ramchand and V Umamaheswar as vice-presidents, Ch Arun Kumar as joint secretary, MA Rahim as treasurer. The general body also elected Koka Ramesh, D Nageswara Raju and GVS Raju as zonal secretaries.