Kotla Bathungarh teenager Baljit Singh is an ardent fan of Amritsar cricketer Abhishek Sharma. He never misses a match featuring his favourite sportsperson and follows his performances on social media.

Aspiring to make a name for himself in cricket, Baljit dreams of building a long career in the game. However, reaching Gandhi Ground, located over 27 km from his village, has been a major challenge. Heavy traffic, particularly along the last 10 km, makes the commute even more difficult.

His dream of practising on a well-maintained cricket pitch has now moved closer to reality with the inauguration of a sports stadium in his village.

Public Works and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO inaugurated the stadium, constructed at a cost of Rs 1.70 crore, in Kotla Bathungarh village under the Jandiala Guru Assembly constituency, which he represents, on Wednesday.

The stadium has several modern facilities, including a boundary wall, pavilion, seating steps, football and volleyball grounds, a cricket practice pitch, a gymnasium hall, lighting arrangements, an approach road and parking facilities.

Addressing the aspirations of youngsters like Baljit, the minister said the stadium would provide better opportunities to youth from Kotla Bathungarh and neighbouring villages to participate in sports and hone their talent.

He said the government aimed to strengthen sports infrastructure at the village level and encourage youngsters to excel in sports.

The Cabinet Minister said the government was making continuous efforts to connect youth with sports and provide them with better facilities. “Sports play an important role in the physical and mental development of young people while also inculcating discipline.