Banke's Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City-1 Ward Office has started increasing investment in sports infrastructure.

With the aim of developing the ward as a sports hub, investments have been made in five important infrastructures for the development of sports.

The ward office has built a large and attractive badminton training center in Dhambojhi. Sports enthusiasts have been practicing regularly at the badminton training center, built with an investment of about 12 million rupees, for two years. There are currently 55 players practicing at the training center for a fee, while 20 players have been trained free of charge by the ward, said local Ramesh Malla.

The ward has built the badminton training center with the aim of producing new players, instilling interest in sports in children, and inspiring them towards a professional sports journey. The annual income of the training center is 4 lakh rupees and expenses are 3 lakh rupees. In addition, the ward itself has been providing 1 lakh rupees for the caretaker and maintenance.

Another ambitious project invested in by the ward is the ANFA Grassroots Football Sports Academy. Built at a cost of about 11 million rupees, this ground is a permanent training ground for sports enthusiasts from children to the young generation. Malla said that this ground has started establishing not only the ward but also the Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City as a football-friendly city. The ward office has also invested heavily in a bicycle pump track.

This structure, built at a cost of about 6 million rupees through the Pump for Track project, was built with the joint initiative of foreign aid and local investment. Citizens of countries including Switzerland, Germany, Australia and others contributed 45 million rupees to help build the track. The remaining 1.5 million rupees were managed through a partnership between the ward and the sub-metropolitan city.

This ward has also built a yoga building at a cost of 35 million rupees, prioritizing physical fitness, mental balance and a healthy lifestyle. After the building was built, it has become easier for yoga enthusiasts to practice regularly with a fixed schedule, instructor and organized classes. Ananda Prakash Mahapal, who has been practicing yoga, says, "Now there are regular classes inside the building, and when the environment is conducive, both the body and mind are refreshed."

The ward has also proposed an open gym as another alternative sports structure for Rs 1 million. The under-construction gym, which is currently in the final stage of construction, is preparing an environment for youth and health enthusiasts to exercise in an open space, according to the ward office.