Punjab to Tackle Drug Menace Through Sports Revival: ₹78 Crore Burlton Park Hub Announced

Jalandhar, June 11, 2025: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday unveiled a major initiative aimed at curbing drug abuse through sports promotion, laying the foundation stone for the Burlton Park Sports Hub in Jalandhar under the “Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh” campaign.

The sports complex, set to be developed at a cost of ₹78 crore, will be a first-of-its-kind facility in India and is expected to be completed within a year. Arvind Kejriwal, speaking as the chief guest, hailed the project as a landmark step in revitalizing Punjab’s youth and restoring the state’s legacy as a sports powerhouse.

He asserted that traditional political parties had weakened Punjab by neglecting sports and enabling the spread of drugs. However, he credited the present government’s efforts, such as Operation Bulldoze which targets and demolishes the properties of drug smugglers for weakening the narcotics network. Kejriwal said ultra-modern stadiums will be constructed across Punjab’s villages to encourage young people to embrace sports and move away from addiction.

Highlighting Punjab’s revival, Kejriwal pointed to pro-investment reforms, including the FastTrack Punjab Portal, which ensures investor approvals within 45 days. He said these reforms are drawing substantial investment into the state, placing Punjab on a path to industrial and athletic resurgence.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann emphasized Jalandhar’s historic contribution to Indian sports, particularly hockey, noting that three generations of international athletes have emerged from the district. He lamented the political negligence that had caused Punjab’s sporting decline but pledged to restore its lost glory through strategic and dedicated efforts.

Mann also announced that Burlton Park will be renamed in honour of a legendary Punjabi athlete, shedding its colonial title. He declared that international-level cricket stadiums would be built in Jalandhar and Amritsar, following the development of one in Mullanpur.

The Chief Minister proudly stated that the captains of India’s national men’s and women’s cricket teams, as well as the football team, are all Punjabis an indicator of the state’s immense athletic potential. He affirmed the government’s commitment to upgrading sports infrastructure and nurturing youth talent as a means of combating drug abuse and advancing Punjab’s overall development.

Mann concluded by vowing that Punjab will once again lead the nation in every field, with no effort spared to achieve this vision.