Ahmedabad: A delegation of officials will travel to the Paris Olympic Games later this month to study the infrastructure and arrangements for the mega multi-sporting event. This visit is part of Ahmedabad’s preparations to bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics. The 2024 Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11.
The delegation is expected to include Ashwani Kumar, principal secretary for sports, youth, and cultural activities, and Manikant Sharma, regional director of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Gandhinagar. Sources also suggest that sports minister Harsh Sanghavi may join the delegation.
In a recent meeting with the French ambassador to India in Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed Gujarat’s interest in leveraging France’s expertise in infrastructure and other facilities essential for hosting an international multi-sport event. With India planning to bid for the 2036 Olympics, Ahmedabad has been chosen as the host city for the bid.
Top sources indicate that the state government is coordinating with the Union government to send the delegation. “We intend to send a delegation to the Paris Olympic Games to study the infrastructure and other facilities set up for the event. The CM has emphasized that Gujarat aims to explore how the infrastructure created for the games can serve long-term purposes beyond the event,” said a source.
Following the CM’s meeting with French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, the state government’s official statement said, “The discussions focused on utilizing France’s expertise in organizing the Olympic Games in Gujarat in 2036 if India wins the bid.”
Preparations are already underway for Ahmedabad’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, spanning 236 acres alongside the Narendra Modi Stadium, is being developed at a cost of around Rs 6,000 crore and will feature facilities for 20 Olympic sports disciplines. The master plan for this project has been finalized.
Additionally, the Naranpura Sports Complex, covering 20.39 acres with an investment of Rs 631.77 crore, will host several sporting events if Ahmedabad wins the Olympic bid. The state government, through the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), is also planning an Olympic Village at Manipur-Godhavi on the western outskirts of the city. This village and training center will cover 200 acres and provide comprehensive facilities for athletes.