Scarce presence of players from the Majha region of Punjab on the tarmac of the Asian Games has prompted stakeholders to examine the availability of sporting infrastructure in the region. Gone are the days when runners who perspired on the muddy tracks went on to bag medals on the international stage. In the Majha region, there is only one synthetic athletic track (SAT). It is located at the Police Lines in Tarn Taran. The installation of the track had been facilitated by ex-Union Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill.Another SAT, proposed to be developed at the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), did not materialise and a Rs 2-crore first instalment of a government grant was taken back by the Union Ministry of Sports. After this, the proposal to set up a SAT for track-and-field athletes at GNDU was put on the back burner.In 2019, OP Chanchal, the then Under Secretary to the Union Government in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, wrote a letter sanctioning grant-in-aid for laying a SAT at GNDU. In the communique, he said, “I am directed to convey the approval of the competent authority to the proposal of the GNDU Registrar for laying of synthetic athletic track at the university under Khelo India Scheme.”Although the estimated cost of the SAT was Rs 8.31 crore, the ministry had sanctioned a sum of Rs 7 crore and the remaining sum was to be borne by the university. “I am accordingly directed to convey the sanction of the President of India to release a non-reciting grant of Rs 2.10 crore to Registrar, GNDU, for laying of a SAT at the university under the Khelo India Scheme (General Component),” read the letter.The letter said the grant-in-aid would be drawn by the Drawing and Disbursing Officer, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, for the purpose before March 31, 2020. The next instalment of the grant would be released to the Registrar, GNDU, after receipt of the progress report along with the statement of expenditure and the utilisation certificate, duly signed by the Principal Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Services, Punjab Government.Kanwar Mandeep Singh, Director, Sports Department, Guru Nanak Dev University, said the university had received the first instalment but the project was cancelled at the tendering stage by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports citing technical reasons. He added that the university had immediately returned the amount.Kanwar elaborated that the university had proposed to set up a 400-meter track, which included 10 straight lanes, while the rest of the track would have eight lanes. A curve for warming up was intended to classify the SAT as a class-one track and make it eligible to host international matches. The proposal also outlined an iron boundary and arrangement for state-of-the-art lighting on the track.As the project never got off the ground, players at the university continue to train on a grassy 400-metre track. Another muddy track is available at the Guru Nanak Stadium in the city. “The university is keen to have a SAT for its athletes and wants to revisit the old project. The institute already has a velodrome, multipurpose indoor gymnasium hall, hockey ground, swimming pool and other sports infrastructure,” said the Director of the Sports Department.wuw