73rd All India Railway Athletics championships

Bhubaneswar, Oct 5: Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday inaugurated the 73rd All India Railway Athletics championships here. The East Coast Railway Sports Association is organising the four-day event.

More than 500 participants from 23 teams led by the combined band of the Orissa Police and the Railway Protection Force took part in a colourful march past. Internationally acclaimed atheletes Soma Biswas, Krishna Poonia, Ajay Naik, GD Pramila and Sai Bani Oram also particpated.

Earlier in the morning, East Coast Railway general manager SS Khurana flagged off a torch rally. Noted athelets PT Usha and Shiny Wilson took part in the rally.

Addressing the sports personalities, Patnaik said the railways would soon initiate steps to complete the construction of a cricket stadium. Railway Board chairman KK Jena said the stadium would have facilities to host international matches.

State sports minister Debashis Nayak said the government was in the process of completing infrastructure facilities for the promotion of sports.