Arunachal Pradesh plans 30,000-capacity football stadium near Holongi: Pema Khandu

Arunachal Pradesh is planning to build a football stadium with a seating capacity of 25,000 to 30,000 near Holongi in Balijan Circle of Papum Pare district, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said.

Speaking to the media, Khandu said around one lakh square metres of land had been identified for the proposed stadium. He added that the tendering process had been completed and construction work was expected to begin within a month.

The proposed facility is intended to promote football in a state where the sport enjoys a strong following. Khandu said the project would supplement the existing Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia and provide further encouragement to football players.

The stadium is expected to expand Arunachal Pradesh's sports infrastructure and create more opportunities for football development in the state.

Separately, Khandu highlighted the potential of yak rearing to generate sustainable livelihoods and strengthen the economy of Arunachal Pradesh's high-altitude and frontier communities.

“The yak sustains our high-altitude communities, preserves our cultural heritage and contributes to the resilience of our frontier regions. We must transform this traditional livelihood into a sustainable source of economic opportunity,” Khandu wrote on X.

To advance the initiative, the chief minister said he had chaired a virtual meeting with the Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Dairy Development (AHV&DD) department, the Indian Army, the ICAR–National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR–NRCY) and other stakeholders to develop a roadmap for the state's yak economy.

Khandu said the plan should extend beyond traditional products such as milk and chhurpi, a yak-milk-based cheese popular in Himalayan regions. He identified scientific breeding, improved animal husbandry, seasonal grazing stations, dairy value addition, yak fibre, handicrafts and community-based border tourism as potential areas for economic development.

The chief minister said these measures could help increase incomes for local communities while ensuring the conservation of yaks, which play an important role in the region's culture and livelihoods.