THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), Kariavattom, has certainly carried out successful parleys with the SAI officials to relocate SAI’s Kerala region centre from Bangalore to here. But, the new initiative might come unstuck as space constraints are already posing a serious challenge to the development of this institution, the first of its kind in the State established under the National Institute of Sports and Physical Education, the primary form of SAI. Fifty acres of land was provided by the Kerala University in 1985, when the proposal for constituting an exclusive sports and physical education centre in the State gained momentum. Thus was born the LNCPE, on the lines of LNUPE, Gwalior, which is situated in a vast area of 153 acres. Speaking to Express, LNCPE Director Dr G Kishore said that space constraints are affecting the progress of the institution. ”The institution has been operating on a modest 50 acres of land. Taking into account the number of buildings and sports facilities which are housed in the allotted space, the land is inadequate. We have to construct an indoor hall, synthetic football ground and more hostels for the students. That means extra land is a must to take any further stride,” he said. The officials of the centre had requested the mother university, the Kerala University, to allot 15 acres from its land bank. But the Kerala University has been rejecting the plea for any further patch of land, saying that it would undermine its future programmes. ”We have requested the University Vice- Chancellor; the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the University; and the present and past Education Ministers to expedite the transfer of 15 acres of land adjacent to our campus which is till now lying unused. But the University officials have been reluctant to respond,” Kishore said. LNCPE Deputy Director G Issac said that the facilities on the campus need to be updated, as a minimum two national camps are being organised annually. ”The athletes taking part in the camp prefer to train here as the green belt on the campus assists in speedy recovery from injuries. Hockey training is currently being given on the puny ground encircled by a cycling velodrome. That justifies the demand for extra land,” he said.
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