New Delhi, February 12 In an effort to protect the Mondo track at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium during upcoming concerts, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has announced that the venue's playing field will have a four-layer protection system in place to prevent any damage.
The stadium is scheduled to host a concert by popular Punjabi singer Satinder Sartaj on Saturday. SAI had faced criticism last year when the venue, including the playing field, was left in a state of disarray following Diljit Dosanjh's 'Dil-Luminati' concert.
The installation of the Mondo track was completed last year at a total cost of Rs 23 crore ahead of the World Para-Athletics Championship. The four-layer protection would include plywood, foam, and carpets.
The JLN, primarily an athletics and football venue, is one of the most popular venues for hosting non-sports events such as music concerts, and it previously cost relatively low Rs 4.5 lakh to book its main arena by Indian artists.
SAI's revised tariffs, announced on September 18, increased the booking cost to Rs 25 lakh.
"We are ensuring that sports are not disrupted and that events do not cause damage to the stadium," SAI Stadia administration Director Nidhin Jose said.
Several athletes had posted videos of damage at the stadium during Dosanjh's concert.
In case there is a failure to ensure a post-event clean-up, SAI has also made it clear that it would charge a penalty at 10 per cent of the daily tariff and would also have the discretion to "blacklist" such organizers from future event bookings.
In its latest measures to safeguard the facility, SAI has divided the stadium into zero-weight, low-weight, and heavy-weight zones and has erected barriers around sensitive surfaces ahead of Saturday's event.
Implementing its strict measures codified last year, the condition of the stadium will be recorded prior to the event. It will not be handed back to athletes until after a post-event inspection to determine any damages for which the organizers will be fully liable.