Ahmedabad is set to welcome a dedicated pickleball facility, with plans for an eight-court complex on the Sabarmati Riverfront. This new center will provide professional training, host tournaments, and offer pay-and-play access for local enthusiasts. The facility will be constructed on a 7,000-square-meter plot located behind the National Institute of Design (NID) on the western bank of the Sabarmati River.
Players will also get access to coaching and high-performance training, sports science and recovery facilities, a cafe or food court, and parking for at least 50 cars. The selected operator must invest at least Rs 1.5 crore before starting commercial operations. The operator will pay SRFDCL a minimum guaranteed annual payment of Rs 7 lakh, excluding applicable taxes. This amount will rise by 10% every three years. SRFDCL will get 10% in the second year, 11% in the third year and will gradually rise to 16% by the eighth year. During the extended lease period, from the ninth to the 12th year, SRFDCL will receive 25% of the gross revenue. Applicants must have experience in sports infrastructure projects during the past five years and an average annual turnover of at least Rs 60 lakh from sports-related activities during the previous three financial years. The request for proposals document will be available on the SRFDCL website from Sept 11 to Oct 5. The pre-bid meeting will be held on Sept 21. Bids can be submitted until 5pm on Oct 5, while technical proposals will be opened on Oct 9. Bidders must submit a bid security of Rs 1.5 lakh and a performance security of Rs 10 lakh.
The centre will offer a pay-and-play facility so that residents can book courts and try their hand at the sport without signing up for an elite training programme. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Ahmedabad | Silver Rate in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Petrol Price in Ahmedabad | Diesel Price in Ahmedabad | CNG Price in Ahmedabad | LPG Price in Ahmedabad Stay updated with the latest Ahmedabad news.
If people take to the sport, we can plan more courts,” said an SRFDCL official close to the development. It is a great way to exercise, socialise, and hang out with friends or family,” said Sharma, a BTech student. Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL), operated by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), has invited bids to build the first dedicated pickleball facility planned by the civic body. “We already have facilities for tennis, basketball and a few other sports, but nothing for pickleball. The sport is becoming a craze, and we want to give youngsters a place to play. It will be developed under a lease-based design, build, finance, operate and maintain model, under which a private operator will construct and run the facility. The proposed centre will have at least eight national and international-standard courts, tournament-grade lighting, warm-up areas and seating for spectators. And it isn’t meant only for professionals. Net-covered sports activities, including box cricket and pickleball, have become immensely popular in recent years, leading to a multitude of temporary structures being erected across the city, especially along SG Road and SP Ring Road. For players like Krish Sharma, the proposed facility could make the sport more accessible. “My friends and I play pickleball every week to unwind after studies. It is fun, but rates at private facilities are quite high. If the corporation builds a pickleball facility, we will be able to enjoy the game at subsidised rates. The venue will also be available for professional tournaments, giving Ahmedabad a facility that can host both weekend players and competitive events. A private agency will develop and operate the project under an eight-year lease, with the possibility of a four-year extension. The revenue-sharing arrangement will start from the second year. The operator will get a three-month moratorium after receiving the letter of allotment. Companies, limited liability partnerships, partnership firms, trusts, societies and consortiums of up to three members can bid for the project. There is also a clear exit clause. Once the lease ends, the operator must dismantle the structures and return the plot to SRFDCL in its original condition. Download the TOI App.