NMMC digs up cricket pitch at Sunil Gavaskar playground in Belapur

Budding cricketers and veterans playing cricket on the only open ground in CBD Belapur Sector 9 were taken aback after Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation dug up the concrete pitch; last week, the corporation dug up the concrete pitch at the Sunil Gavaskar playground following multiple complaints about fights and commercial usage of the ground

Budding cricketers and veterans playing cricket on the only open ground in CBD Belapur Sector 9 were taken aback after Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) dug up the concrete pitch.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has dug up the cricket pitch at Sunil Gavaskar playground in CBD Belapur as there were complaints of fights among boys. (BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)

Last week, the corporation dug up the concrete pitch at the Sunil Gavaskar playground following multiple complaints about fights and commercial usage of the ground.

The pitch is concretised every year by a local 40s Cricket Club especially to conduct tournaments during monsoon. One such monsoon tournament was scheduled to be held this weekend.

“For the last 30 years, prior to the onset of monsoon, concrete pitches have been made so that it’s easier to play cricket during rains. NMMC has never objected to this practice and, in fact, has always cooperated as there are so many youngsters using the playground to play cricket. We are wondering as to what led the civic administration to take such a drastic step of demolishing the pitch,” said a member of the 40s Club.

Concerned about losing access to the ground, a group had assembled at the ward office. “It would have been helpful if the corporation had issued a notice intimating about the action. Those using the ground could have responded and after hearing both the sides, the ward office could have arrived at a decision. Instead, the pitch was just dug up, causing panic among the locals about losing access to this sole playground just like it happened with the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium,” said Jaspal Singh Atwal a Sector 4 resident.

The playground sees a large presence of youngsters from Sectors 1,1A, 9, Artist Village and is also used to conduct tournaments. Rajiv Gandhi playground, earlier open to the public, was developed by NMMC into a stadium and entry is restricted.

“We are really hoping that the NMMC doesn’t deny us the right to use the playground. If the allegation that the ground has become a place to fight is true, then won’t there be at least one complaint with the local police. In fact, we even have police personnel playing with us during their free time,” said Rishikesh Pansare (20), a youngster from the node.

DS Chabukswar, deputy municipal commissioner, zone 1, informed of having a centralised pitch as against multiple pitches made haphazardly all across the ground.

“There were multiple complaints from residents about fights between boys playing cricket. There were multiple pitches made that were leading to fights and the ground was being used for commercial purposes that cannot be permitted. Therefore, NMMC will now lay a proper centralised pitch that will be used for playing cricket in an organised manner,” said Chabukswar.