Odisha’s Chief Secretary, SC Mohapatra, said on Monday that India’s biggest hockey stadium at Rourkela and airport at Baja City have been completed ahead of the upcoming Men’s Hockey World Cup.

Mohapatra, who visited the two facilities with Chief Minister Secretary VK Pandian during the day, said the airport would be operational in a few days.

Read also | The time has come, the Messiah has come: Lionel Andres Messi completes football

Rourkela is one of the venues for the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup which starts on 13 January.

“As instructed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, we inspected the stadium as well as the airport today. The airport and terminal construction work has been completed. An inspection by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) was also carried out,” Mohapatra told reporters.

There are still some formalities to be completed once regular air services between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela will commence, he said.

The official said Alliance Air will operate four daily flights between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela during the World Cup.

In addition, the state government will also operate charter flights between the two cities to transport hockey players, he said.

Mohapatra said the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, India’s largest hockey stadium with a capacity of 20,000, had also been completed and practice matches would start on December 24.

Three practice matches, the first between India and Spain, will be played at the stadium from December 24. Based on player feedback, necessary changes will be made, he said.

Read also | Karim Benzema has announced his retirement from international football

The 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup will be held from 13-29 January at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s office said India’s largest hockey stadium was completed in record time in just one year.

Read all the latest sports news here

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)