Sugathadasa Stadium seems to be running into endless problems with their track wearing out fast and now the issues have arisen on the grass and numerous weeds that grow on the field.
There are about 14 different types of weeds including kankun and mukunuwenna that have been seen growing. Who is responsible for maintaining of the grass?
The track that was repaired only last October/November has again started to wear out after a few school meets were held early this year. The contractor is alleged to be avoiding the Stadium officials when they tried to discuss the matter.
Minister of Sports did a publicity stunt with the media two months ago when work was being done by the contractor Gahakola Landscaping.
However, the conditions on the track still remain the same and the contractor and staff has gone away from the Stadium early this year.
Minister Aluthgamage and director of the Sugathadasa Stadium Lt. Col. Mahinda Rajapaksha said that they expected the contractor to hand over the ground after completing the repair work within one and a half a month from the date of the press conference was held.
An inside source, who is knowledgeable on the current development work, alleged that the plaster used by the contractor will not help solve the problem. Even the repaired areas are damaged again after use by a few schools early this year.
“There are more than ten types of grass growing in the middle area of the ground and cannot be labeled as fit for playing,” the source said. The centre ground was used for football, rugby and American football prior to this. But the ground is now uneven, hard and unplayable now, claimed the source.
Danushka Rahubadda, Genaral Manager of Gahakola Landscaping charged that because of wrong instructions given to them by Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) about the escort layer below the track was the result in damages to the track and also said their job was just to lay the escort layer while the carpet is the responsibility of their partner from German Stockmeire Holdings.
After initial repairs were done the Army championship was held end November last year. After that the Stadium was restricted for athletes to train while it was only rented out for some sports meets early this year. Damage to the track has appeared again.
Minister Aluthgamage said that he will hold an independent enquiry to determine whether the poor quality of the material used to cover the damaged areas was the cause or whether the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) gave the wrong evaluation as charged by the contractor.
The track was re-laid in June last year ahead of the Asian Junior Athletics Championships but cracks surfaced in several places sending shock waves on the quality of their repair job to the value of Rs. 113 million track which was the bidding price tendered by Gahakola Landscaping.
The contractor had later agreed to lay the track for Rs. 98 million and already Rs 78 million has been paid. The sports minister earlier withheld the payment of Rs 20 million.
“If the contractor is responsible, we will blacklist the company and will initiate legal action. If the fault is with the engineers who were in the TEC, they will have to pack up,” said Aluthgamage last year even though nothing has happened to date.
