Players coming for the national Games in Haridwar will stay in 29 hotels of the district but not in special games village cottages as expected earlier. The State Sports Department has identified the hotels and directed the local police to make adequate security arrangements for the players.

Officials deployed for the preparations of the games have informed that Haridwar would host important competitions like Kabaddi, Hockey, wrestling, and other big sports events that require lodging and boarding facilities for nearly 500 players, coaches, and other staff members.

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Contrary to the expectation that players were to stay in special games villages, Uttarakhand Sports Department has decided to arrange their stay in the hotels. The department has identified 29 hotels in the city to lodge the players. Besides accommodation, it will make elaborate arrangements for food, drinks, transportation, and other recreational events for the players.

Following the directions from the state government, the Haridwar Police have started making security arrangements outside these hotels. Apart from the police, the District Tourism Department has been instructed to ensure that the players do not face any difficulty in the hotels.

The Tourism Department officials have begun taking stock of the facilities available and what more is required in the hotels. Tourism officials claimed that physical inspection of hotels is being done to check the rooms, restaurants, toilets, and other facilities in accordance with the standards provided to them by the sports department. The hotel managements are being instructed to remove the shortcomings in their properties and add needed facilities.

Uttarakhand will host the 38th National Games expected to be inaugurated on January 28 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dehradun. These games will be held in 10 districts of the state depending upon sporting facilities and infrastructure available.

Haridwar District Sports Officer Shabali Gurung said all arrangements are being made for the comfortable stay of players in Haridwar. Her team is doing everything to ensure that the players coming from other states for games here carry a good message of hospitality from the holy city as well as the Uttarakhand government.