Jalgaon: Youth Protest Forced Ministers To Open Long-Delayed Sports Complex Track

Jalgaon: A six-month delay in opening the newly developed synthetic athletics track at the Jalgaon District Sports Complex came to an end on Saturday after a group of youth, many of them preparing for police recruitment exams, staged a protest and stopped the convoy of state ministers outside the venue.

The sports complex had remained closed despite the completion of development work because it was awaiting a formal inauguration. According to local officials, repeated requests to finalise an inauguration date had not materialised, leaving the facility unused while athletes and police recruitment aspirants were denied access.

The issue had triggered growing frustration among young aspirants, who had been demanding that the synthetic track be opened for practice ahead of upcoming police recruitment tests. Although plans were reportedly being made for a formal inauguration, the programme was delayed, and the facility continued to remain shut.

On Saturday, as ministers Gulabrao Patil, Girish Mahajan, and Sanjay Savkare were passing the sports complex, the protesters stopped their convoy and demanded that the track be inaugurated immediately. Following a brief protest that lasted around 15 minutes, the ministers inaugurated the synthetic track and announced that it would be opened for athletes and aspirants from Monday.

The incident highlighted the frustration among local youth over delays in opening completed public infrastructure. Many protesters said the facility should have been made available as soon as the work was completed instead of remaining unused while waiting for a ceremonial inauguration.