The remodelled stadium, which is also scheduled to host the hockey World Cup, which open on February 28, and cost £37 million to build,  has three synthetic pitches, two conforming to international standards and the third a practice pitch. New polygrass turf has been laid on all the pitches which are equipped with new sprinkler systems.

The stadium has a sitting capacity of about 16,200 spectators.

The second pitch outside the main arena has 900 permanent seats and a provision for 1,600 temporary seats.

Gill said: "The facilities in the stadium are state-of-the-art.

"So much work has been done in the stadium that you can say it is almost new.

"It is one of the best hockey stadiums in the world."

The stadium was originally built in 1933 as an amphitheatre and is named after Dhyan Chand, India's former centre-forward who won three Olympic gold medals, at Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936.

A statue of Chand is at the entrance of the stadium.

It was renovated for first Asian Games held in 1951 and then for the 1982 Asian Games.

Gill said: "The stadium has a rich legacy.

"It is synonymous with Indian hockey. It brings back memories of my childhood when I came here with my father from Meerut during the first Asian Games to see India play in the football finals."

Gill said the stadium could be completed on time only because of the hard work of the engineers and the 2,000 workers.

He said: "When I first visited the stadium last year, it was in a mess with construction work going on and I wondered whether it could be completed on time.

"But the CPWD (Central Public Works Department) engineers, Sports Authority of India officials gave me assurance that it will be done on time.

“It could be possible because of them and more importantly the 2,000 people, who come from all over the country, and have worked day and night in this cold, to complete the work in one year.

"We got the hosting rights of the Commonwealth Games in 2003.

"I do not know what happened in five years, but since I came in 2008, I have visited the sites regularly.

"I have sat with the officials and made sure that the work is completed.

"I can assure you that with the opening of this stadium, we have made a beginning and now you will see the venues will be completed one after another.

"Yes, we could have finished the work one year in advance, like they are doing in London [for the 2012 Olympics], to get the facilities tested, but at least we can ensure that the venues will come up well before the Commonwealth Games."


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