New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has tightened the operating rules at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi, bringing a stronger focus on discipline, regulated access and better management of training space.
Under the revised Standard Operating Procedure, shooters using the facility through the Come & Play scheme can now face a one-week suspension for violating prescribed rules. Repeat violations could lead to cancellation of registration or a longer-term ban from using the range.
The move comes as SAI looks to bring greater structure to the use of the prestigious facility, which serves both recreational shooters and athletes pursuing high-level competitive careers.
What has changed at Karni Singh Range?
The revised system introduces several restrictions aimed at ensuring that training sessions are conducted in an organised manner.
One-week suspension: Shooters found violating the rules can be suspended from using the facility for seven days.
Stricter action for repeat offences: Continued violations could result in the cancellation of registration or a ban.
Fixed training slots: The new SOP seeks to regulate when shooters can access the ranges, reducing scheduling irregularities.
Lane occupancy limits: The number of shooters using lanes at a given time will be controlled.
NCoE priority: Ten lanes have been earmarked for athletes training under SAI’s National Centre of Excellence programme.
Greater discipline inside the facility: Consumption of food in restricted areas and unauthorised interference by parents have been identified among the behaviours being targeted.
Why SAI is tightening the system
The Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range is not an ordinary training venue. Spread across around 72 acres, the complex has facilities for 10m, 25m and 50m shooting, along with trap and skeet ranges. SAI describes it as a world-class facility equipped to host major international competitions.
The Come & Play scheme, introduced in 2011, was designed to widen public participation in sport while allowing people to make use of SAI’s sporting infrastructure. The challenge for administrators, therefore, is to maintain open access without allowing the facility to become difficult to manage.
The latest rules appear to be an attempt to strike that balance.
The utilisation question
While SAI’s emphasis on discipline is understandable, the revised regulations have also triggered questions about how efficiently the facility’s large number of shooting lanes are being used.
A former shooter cited in the reporting claimed that more than half of the range’s 80 lanes can remain vacant at certain times. That raises an important question: if capacity is available, could greater access rather than tighter restrictions help more young shooters develop?
The issue becomes particularly relevant as India continues to build depth in shooting and looks ahead to major international competitions, including the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
Discipline versus accessibility
The new regulations bring an interesting debate to the forefront. A world-class facility needs clear rules, especially when elite athletes and recreational shooters share the same infrastructure. At the same time, the Come & Play programme was created to encourage wider participation.
For young shooters, access to a facility of Karni Singh’s standard can be an important stepping stone. SAI’s challenge will be to ensure that tighter administration does not unintentionally make the sport less accessible to emerging talent.
The range itself has a long association with India’s shooting ecosystem and has hosted major events. SAI has also approved plans for technological upgrades at the facility, including the replacement of existing electronic targets with laser target systems.
Key numbers and facts
Facility: Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Tughlakabad, New Delhi
Area: Around 72 acres
10m range: 80 firing points
25m range: 50 firing points
50m range: 80 firing points
Suspension for violations: One week
NCoE reserved lanes: 10
Come & Play scheme: Launched in 2011
Major focus: Discipline, controlled access and efficient utilisation
The bigger picture
SAI’s latest decision is more than a change in booking rules. It reflects a larger question facing India’s sporting infrastructure: how can elite performance, public participation and efficient use of facilities coexist?
The answer may lie not simply in stricter rules, but in ensuring that available lanes are fully utilised, schedules remain transparent and young shooters continue to find meaningful opportunities to train.
For now, the message from SAI is clear: access to one of India’s premier shooting facilities will come with greater responsibility. The real measure of the new system, however, will be whether it can improve discipline without limiting the next generation of Indian shooters.
Source: Sportstar report, with additional reference to Sports Authority of India information on the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range.
Discussion about this post