LUDHIANA, June 9 -- In a major push to strengthen sports and fitness infrastructure in rural Punjab, the state sports department has operationalised village gyms at 32 locations across Ludhiana district, with work progressing swiftly at the remaining identified sites.

The initiative forms part of an ambitious state-level programme aimed at establishing gym facilities at nearly 1,000 rural locations across Punjab. In Ludhiana alone, 72 villages have been identified for the project, and installations are advancing steadily, with fitness equipment arriving regularly and close to two gyms being set up each day.

District sports officer (DSO) Kuldeep Chugh said the project was conceived to bridge the gap in access to quality fitness infrastru...