PTC Web Desk: Former India cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh has stepped forward to help restore the sports ground at the Government College in Ropar after local athletes alleged that it was badly damaged during preparations for a Punjab government event.

Sharing a video of the ground on social media, Harbhajan Singh assured players that he would personally help rebuild the facility if the state government failed to do so.

ਕੋਈ ਨਾ ਹੌਸਲਾ ਨਾ ਹਾਰੋ ਦੋਸਤੋ । ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਜੇ ਠੀਕ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਵਾਂਦੀ ਇਸ ਗਰਾਊਂਡ ਨੂੰ । ਤੁਸੀਂ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਦੱਸੋ ਮੈਂ ਠੀਕ ਕਰਵਾ ਕੇ ਦੇਨਾ । ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੂੰ ਦੁਬਾਰਾ ਖੇਡਾਂ ਚ ਬੁਲੰਦੀਆ ਤੇ ਦੇਖਣ ਦਾ ਸਪਨਾ ਹੈ ???? ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰੇ ???? https://t.co/cdZYQ2ergq

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 28, 2026

Harbhajan Singh promises support

In his social media post, Harbhajan Singh encouraged athletes not to lose hope. "Don't lose heart, friends. If the Punjab government does not restore this ground, let me know and I will get it repaired. My dream is to see Punjab once again reach new heights in sports. Waheguru bless us all." His post quickly gained attention, with many users praising the former cricketer's offer to support young athletes.

Athletes say ground was damaged during govt event

Local residents and athletes who regularly train at the Government College sports ground claimed they had collectively contributed money over the years to improve and maintain the facility.

According to them, when they arrived for practice on Wednesday, they found that work had begun to set up tents for a Punjab government programme. They alleged that heavy machinery and construction work had severely damaged the running track and playing field.

Several athletes said they were heartbroken after seeing the condition of the ground, adding that they were not opposed to the government event itself but believed another venue could have been chosen.

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'Our running track has been destroyed'

One former student of the college said the track had been developed with the help of local volunteers after years of effort. Pointing towards the muddy ground, he said the running track had been completely damaged.

"We worked together to restore this ground. Seeing it in this condition brought tears to my eyes. If the event had to be organised, there were other places like the grain market or the stadium where it could have been held. Children train here every day, and now the track has been destroyed," he said.

Athletes question use of heavy machinery

Another athlete expressed disappointment over the use of a JCB machine inside the sports ground. He said the group had always been careful to protect the track and would not even allow bicycles or scooters inside the premises.

"We never allowed vehicles on the track because we wanted to preserve it. Today, a JCB was driven directly onto the ground. Watching this happen was extremely painful," he said.

Training for police recruitment affected

A young athlete preparing for the Punjab Police physical examination said the damaged track had disrupted his daily training schedule.

He explained that he had to travel nearly five km to a stadium because the local ground was no longer usable, whereas the Government College ground was only two km from his home.

He also highlighted the additional fuel expenses, saying many trainees come from financially modest backgrounds.

"This is the only nearby ground with a proper running track. Many young people prepare here for recruitment into the police and other government services. We built parts of this facility ourselves by collecting small contributions of Rs 10, Rs 50 and Rs 100 from local residents," he said.