Ajit Pawar pushes for lease renewal of sports clubs at SoBo grounds

The Nationalist Congress Party chief also insisted that the three grounds should be used only for sports and other activities should not be allowed

Mumbai: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday asked the state administration to prepare a comprehensive policy for renewing the leases of over 60 sports clubs that have spaces at Azad Maidan, Cross Maidan and Oval Maidan in south Mumbai. The Nationalist Congress Party chief also insisted that the three grounds should be used only for sports and other activities should not be allowed.

Mumbai, India - April 17, 2017: Picture of Oval ground in Mumbai, India, on Monday, April 17, 2017. (Photo by Kunal Patil/Hindustan Times) (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

While the three grounds are used mainly for sports, the historic Azad Maidan has hosted political and public gatherings since the British era. It now has a designated space for organising protests, while political rallies are also often held there.

In December, for the first time, the swearing-in ceremony of the new Maharashtra government was organised at Azad Maidan. A huge chunk of the ground has also been taken over by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation for the construction of the underground Metro 3 line.

The main reason for introducing a new policy, though, is to renew the leases of the dozens of sports clubs that operate at the three grounds. The land is owned by the state revenue department, while the sports department leases it to the clubs. During Friday’s meeting at Mantralaya, Pawar asked government officers to introduce the new lease renewal policy before the state cabinet for its approval.

Government officers have also been asked to fix the lease rents and tenures, which have been rather scattered so far. “At present, the lease was to be renewed yearly, but most clubs were not renewing it,” said sports commissioner Hiralal Sonawane. “They were paying a paltry sum of ₹300 per year, and some were not even paying that. We are now coming with a comprehensive policy.” Sports department sources said they plan to make the new lease period five years.

Pawar has also instructed the state administration to ensure the new lease policy includes the provision of toilets and changing rooms for sportspersons at the grounds, officials said. The toilets must be modern and shouldn’t spoil the maidans, he said.

However, sports ground consultant Nadim Memon said the meeting organised by Pawar on Friday was an “eyewash”. “Meetings like this have been held by Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Ashish Shelar. These meetings are of no use. Most clubs operating there were established 125 years ago, much before India had a government. They claim that we are making money, but we train people in sports.”

Memon also claimed that the grounds were being ruined due to the organisation of religious and cultural events such as Ramleelas and Ijtemas, political events and even sporting events like marathons. “They spoil our pitches. Allowing trucks on maidans must be banned. Many trucks came for creating pandals for the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. The grounds must be used less for such activities. They have ruined Shivaji Park and now they are ruining Azad Maidan,” he said.