Jamshedpur, May 7: After remaining inactive for few years, the four boxing centres across the steel city are once again buzzing with activities, thanks to the joint initiative of Jharkhand Amateur Boxing Association (Jaba) and Tata Urban Centre (TUC).

Waning interest towards boxing in the city had almost forced Tata Steel Community Development and Social Welfare (CD&SW) department to down shutters of its training centres. But the facilities are on the revival path now.

To start with, the Jaba provided equipment, including gloves, head gears, speed balls and punching bags, to these centres. Besides, qualified and experienced coaches have been appointed to assist their CD&SW counterparts in keeping the coaching apparatus intact. “It’s a joint initiative to revive boxing in the city,” said advocate Anil Kumar Jayswal, the secretary of the Jaba.

Conceding that the four boxing training centres here were inactive for some years, Jayswal said Jaba had taken the responsibility of streamlining things. Jayswal told The Telegraph the training centres at Namda, Sitaramdera, Baridih and Ramdas Bhatta have been put under the ambit of revival.

Barring the Tata Steel training centre at JRD Tata Sports Complex, the other facilities had become almost dormant. With losing interest towards the game, an urgent need was felt by the boxing fraternity to do something to revive the interest for it.

“We have also made the boxing training centre at Karandih active. Owned by Adivasi Youth Club, it was lying inactive. But Jaba took active interest in reviving it. Maybe we can get some good tribal boxers,” Jayswal said. Sources said that the efforts of the Jaba and the TUC are aimed at reviving the boxing craze.

“We have produced some classic pugilists. They have gone on to win medals in different championships. Several youths in the city’s suburbs have the ability to make it big in boxing. But lack of training facilities and equipment emerged as a stumbling block for them,” said a boxing enthusiast.

Jayswal said efforts would also be made to uplift women’s boxing.