Floodlights at Pindi stadium

Islamabad, Aug 28: The heavy freight of forty three meter high floodlights poles have started reaching the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in parts.

The venue is set to host the first day and night one-day fixture between Pakistan and England on Oct 29.

Each of these six poles will have 44 lightlamps and total of 624 k/watts will be used for which purpose a separate line is being laid from the grid station, it was learnt.

According to information parts of two of the poles have reached here, whereas the remaining poles are on their way. The tightening of bolts and welding work on the poles will get under way under the supervision of experts within a couple of weeks.

The Rs 58 million project (for both Karachi and Rawalpindi) is scheduled to be completed by Oct 15. A digital scoreboard will also be installed at the stadium during this period.

Meanwhile, grooming work on the outfield and square at the stadium will be completed within a couple of days as kick-off to cricket season draws near with the three-day National Under-19 game between Rawalpindi and Peshawar on Sept 1.

PPI adds:Floodlights installation work at National Stadium, Karachi is in full swing as out of six planned the first mast was erected on Monday.

The floodlights installation work is under way for the last few months and is expected to be completed before the scheduled date of Oct 15, an official of the project told PPI.

He said total cost of the project is Rs 39 million involving erection of six masts each 46 meters in length with 6x7.45 meter head frame, manufactured at Karachi Shipyard Engineering Works.

Some 78 floodlights will be fixed at all 6 masts with a total load of 1260 k/watts. while load per mast is 210 k/watts. For turning on the lights 20 minutes maximum will be required, he added.

It may be recalled here that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), earlier, had announced that the stadium will have floodlights facility by Sept 25 and would be the venue for the first ever day-night one-day international between Pakistan and England on Oct 25.