Whether you enter Rourkela through the railway station, airport or highway, it is going to be clear instantly that this Odisha city is all set to host the hockey World Cup.
Billboards detailing India’s schedule, markers indicating instructions to the stadium, statues of hockey gamers, frescoes and mural of Indian hockey stars adorn the partitions and streets of the metal metropolis which is likely one of the two venues of the primary ever dual-city World Cup.
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Clean roads, paved sidewalks, and the general beautification of the town began round 15 months again, remodeling the town that’s encircled by low altitude hills and three rivers – Koel, Sankha and Brahmani – right into a city that’s neat, welcoming and easily pleasing to the eyes.
“Because of the World Cup Rourkela has completely changed,” says auto-rickshaw driver Rahim Akhtar, whose business has picked up as a result of event.
A stroll or drive after sundown is a extra pleasing expertise with the city lit up with fancy lamps with parks, road partitions and timber displaying numerous colors. But this wasn’t at all times the case.
“The best thing that has happened due to the World Cup is that the roads have become really good. Earlier you could barely move a kilometre without experiencing the bumps and potholes on almost all roads of Rourkela. It was terrible then,” mentioned Kushal Buddhadev, a taxi driver. “The present contract to maintain the roads is for three years. So, we know for three years the roads will be good. Not sure what will happen after that though.”
Trees and crops adorn the streets resulting in the centrestage of all of the motion, Odisha’s new jewel and the brand new house of hockey – the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium. The 20,000-seater stadium is spectacular to say the least with staff giving the ultimate touches earlier than the event begins on Friday with India’s first match in opposition to Spain.
Apart from the primary pitch, the advanced additionally has a observe centre. The venue additionally has the primary of its sort World Cup village the place all of the groups and officers are staying. The village was developed in 9 months, having 225 rooms with all facilities.
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