New Delhi, May 27: The athletics track at Sree Kanteerava Stadium is in a poor state, even as the city's iconic venue hosts the four-day Indian Open International Para Athletics Championships that began on Tuesday. A locus point of sporting activity in the Garden City, the stadium's deteriorating condition has raised concerns during a major international event.
The synthetic athletics track is now completely worn out and in urgent need of repair. Relayed as recently as 2022 at a cost of ₹5 crore, it has already fallen into a dilapidated state. Adding to the concern, the underlying second layer, the black SRB rubber base, has also deteriorated significantly, with several black patches visible.
Several para-athletes (national and international competitors)
under anonymity complained that the dilapidated situation of the athletics track diminishes their chances to qualify for the Asian Para Games, which are scheduled to take place in Japan later this year, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
The ongoing Para Athletics Championships will serve as the final frontier for these Para Athletes for the Para Asiad, which is taking place in Aichi-Nagoya. Compounding the issue, the venue is also slated to host the State Senior Championships on June 4-5, after being deferred by a week. Karnataka's leading track and field athletes are expected to participate, with the top three in each event earning qualification for the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar (June 24-28), which serve as the final selection trials for the Asian Games.
When the matter came to light, the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) failed to respond to the questions. However, the state athletic federation said that it had written a letter raising the issue, as quoted by Deccan Herald.
KAA Writes To Athletics Federation of India
In a letter accessed by MyKhel, A. Rajavelu of the Karnataka Athletics Association wrote to the Commissioner of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), requesting that the concerned authority keep a watch on the condition of the track at Kanteevera.
"I respectfully submit this request to bring to your kind notice that the outdoor synthetic track at Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru, is in a severely damaged condition. The surface has deteriorated at several places, creating uneven patches and loose layers," the letter stated.
🚨 Kanteerava Stadium is now turning into a danger zone for athletes.
- myKhel.com (@mykhelcom) May 27, 2026
The same track that hosted many national events is literally peeling apart just 4 years after being re-laid at a cost of ₹5 crore.
Black patches, loose layers, uneven surface and athletes are getting… pic.twitter.com/XUtEWASWAT
The letter further states that, due to the poor condition of the track, many athletes may sustain injuries during training. Naturally, the issue is more than the dilapidated condition of the track and has transpired into a safety concern for the athletes.
The KAA also wrote that the Kanteerava Stadium is one of the most important athletics venues in Karnataka, and timely intervention in the matter is essential for the development and the safety of the athletes.
