The relaying process is expected to be complete by July end which means that all national-level tournaments will once again be held at what was not long ago considered one of the most happening places in Indian hockey.

The proposal to relay the turf was made three years ago when several teams playing in the 1997 Nehru hockey tournament had complained about its dismal state. The NDMC, which looks after the ground, agreed to raise Rs 76 lakh (50% of the required sum) for a new turf, and requested the Delhi State government to sanction the rest of the amount.

However, several promises and patch-works later, the expected order from the government failed to materialise.

In fact, matters came to a head when Punjab Police refused to play at the Stadium in 1997, forcing the Nehru tournament committee to reschedule matches at the National Stadium. Since then, very few sides have been willing to play at the Shivaji Stadium.

One of the fall-outs of this was the cancellation of the Lala Bhim Sain hockey tournament -- a national level meet that attracts the best teams in the country -- which kicks off the hockey season in the Capital every year. The organisers complained that they were unable to pay the steep rates charged by the Sports Authority of India for the use of the National Stadium turf.

While tournaments were being cancelled, the worst sufferers were the spectators. Given its vantage location, Shivaji Stadium has always attracted good crowd even for smaller tournaments. The stands are built just next to the ground ensuring good view for the spectators. In contrast, the National Stadium turf is situated quite a distance from the stands, making it difficult to enjoy the action on the ground.

Besides, the National Stadium is not centrally located -- as Shivaji Stadium is -- which acts as a deterrent for hockey lovers. In fact, most of the tournaments are played to empty galleries at the National Stadium.

Even the players insist that they enjoy playing in front of appreciative crowd at the Shivaji Stadium. In fact, the ground encourages a lot of players-spectator interaction, which has kept the game alive in the Capital.

Thus, the decision to relay the turf will once again revive interest in hockey in the coming season and bring back spectators who have so far given the National Stadium a miss.