RailEnquiry

Will Southern Railway ‘B’ team be withdrawn from the Chennai Hockey Association first division league? The portent seems to be grim not because the team conceded a walk over to Income tax on Tuesday but for the reason that “the team may not be in a position to pay the league fee”.As per the CHA directive, institution teams have to pay Rs. 4,000 as entry fee, an enhanced amount from the previous year.However the CHA secretary M.S. Udayakumar said that “even though the payment has to be made prior to the league, teams do pay at a later stage.”But the catch is the Southern Railway Sports Officer (in charge of hockey) Gnanasekharan’s statement that “the SRSA is not very keen on the ‘B’ team since we have our ‘A’ side in the super division. The concentration is on that side.”Besides, he said, the ‘B’ side comprised, barring three players, all guest players.Gnanasekharan said he would still make an effort with the concerned officers in his office to see if the fee could be paid for the ‘B’ side to compete in the league. “I am confident that everything will end well,” he added.