In a major boost to sports infrastructure, Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the state’s first Indoor Volleyball Hall along with new synthetic tennis courts at SCD Government College, Ludhiana.

The projects, worth a combined Rs 4.37 crore, aim to transform training conditions for local athletes. The Indoor Volleyball Hall alone is being constructed at a cost of Rs 3.6 crore, marking Punjab’s first dedicated indoor facility for the sport. Until now, players were forced to practice outdoors in extreme weather, affecting both performance and consistency. Since volleyball at the Olympic level is played exclusively indoors, officials believe this facility will finally allow Ludhiana’s athletes to train under international-standard conditions.

The government has also approved Rs 77 lakh for the district’s first-ever government synthetic tennis courts, fulfilling a long-pending demand of players who struggled with unpredictable playing surfaces. Officials say the new courts will provide year-round, high-quality training and help athletes improve their performance in national and international competitions.

Sanjeev Arora said these initiatives reflect the Punjab government’s commitment under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to strengthen sports infrastructure across the state. He expressed confidence that the new facilities will help produce national and international champions and further cement Punjab’s reputation as a sports powerhouse.

Highlighting Ludhiana’s strong sporting legacy, Arora noted that SCD Government College has won the university volleyball championship for 14 consecutive years, while 6–7 players from Ludhiana currently represent India in the national volleyball team.

Arora added that the state government plans to set up more than 3,000 sports stadiums in villages in the coming days to promote sports at the grassroots level. He said the initiative Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan has already contributed significantly to engaging youth in sports and steering them away from drugs.

Among those present at the event were DSO Kuldeep Chugh, Principal Gursharan Singh, District Volleyball Association President Kapil Seth, General Secretary Tarun Bhateja, Saurabh Passi, and Sulbha Jindal.