The BMC wants a posh clubhouse for KEM doctors in place of the Dr NA Purandare Stadium in the heart of Mumbai, which has nurtured sporting talent for 50 years
The seating area of Dr NA Purandare Stadium was demolished last month
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In a city starved of open spaces, the civic body has begun gobbling up large sections of Dadar's iconic 50-year-old Dr NA Purandare Stadium and Sanjay Nagar Maidan in Jogeshwari under the guise of providing recreational facilities.
The BMC plans to build a four-storey clubhouse with other recreational facilities for doctors of KEM Hospital - the hospital owns the land - at a cost of Rs 12 crore at Dr NA Purandare Stadium, as well as construct a garden, a jogging track, a children's play area and a gymnasium at Sanjay Nagar Maidan.
Residents found out about the plan for a clubhouse at Dr NA Purandare Stadium in Dadar on March 14
An icon in itself
Spanning over 15,000 sqm, Dr NA Purandare Stadium has hosted many state-level tournaments, and several and state- and national-level sportspersons owe their humble beginnings to it. Residents of Dadar, Naigaon, Parel and Bhoiwada use this ground to play cricket, football, badminton, kabaddi, kho kho. Senior citizens also find it an apt space to work out.
According to locals, former Indian football team captain Godfrey Pereira, cricketer Shreyas Khanolkar (who was part of the U-19 team), Suvarna Bartakke, who was part of the winning women's kabaddi team in 2012 have practised on the ground.
Residents and local activists of Dadar wised up to the attempt to "rob" them of their playground on March 14, when a BMC-appointed contractor demolished the seating area of the Purandare stadium without any notice.
Dhiren Khanolkar (46), a resident of Dadar who has been using the ground for games for over 35 years, said locals found out about the clubhouse plan only after the demolition. "If the clubhouse is built, then visitors' entry will be restricted. Hundreds of budding sportspersons will be affected," he cautions.
Locals have now formed a group - Purandare Stadium Bachao Samiti - and have started a signature campaign against the civic body's move.
Throwing his weight behind the initiative is well-known activist Mangesh Bhalekar of Maidan Bachao Samiti, which works towards saving open spaces in the city. Bhalekar said locals will put up a tough fight against the BMC plan. "This is one of the biggest playgrounds in the city, and the civic body's intention is to usurp it. We will leave no stone unturned in protecting the playground.
Last week, local Congress MLA Kalidas Kolambakar, former corporator Sunil More and other politicians attended a public meeting at the stadium to discuss this burning issue. Facing intense pressure, Kolambakar assured the locals full support. He told mid-day yesterday that he has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta on the issue. "Locals are the primary users of the land. KEM Hospital doctors use it only once or twice a year. I am confident that the CM will save the playground.
Satish Jadhav, assistant engineer, BMC's gardens department - which has undertaken the project - assuaged fears of restricted entry after the work is through. "It will be open to everyone. If there is any opposition from residents, will hold discussions with them."
Asked if the requisite clearances have been given, he refused to comment. But sources from the department alleged that the clubhouse does not have the permission of the building proposal department.
Construction at Sanjay Nagar Maidan in Jogeshwari East was halted mid-March
Why another jogging track?
As for Sanjay Nagar Maidan near Kabristan Road in Jogeshwari East, Jadhav said the plan has been approved by the BMC.
Locals point out that the 2,550-sqm playground had already been split into two before the civic election, and the garden, the 4-m-wide jogging track, a children's play area and a gymnasium will shrink the open space further.
Sanjeev Shamanthul of Democratic Youth Federation of India pointed out that a garden, a basketball court, an open air gymnasium, a closed gymnasium, a play area for children, and an exclusive area for senior citizens are already in place. "We play cricket, kabaddi, kho kho, football, volleyball and other games here."
The playground is among the four in the area being developed at a cost of around Rs 1.25 crore.
Here, too, locals have come together - under the 'Save Sanjay Nagar Playground' campaign - to protect the ground. They have met local corporator Anant Nar, local ward officer Devendra Jain and officials from the gardens department.
The group tasted a small victory mid-March; the BMC halted its work in the face of stiff opposition.
Maidan Bachao Samiti wrote a letter on March 23 to the Lokayukta, seeking a stay on construction on the ground. The letter pointed out that there are already two jogging tracks in the vicinity of the ground.
Anant Nar, who is also the chairman of the improvement committee, BMC, accused some people of indulging in dirty politics. "The work was finalised by the civic body. I did not play an role in its clearance. A small jogging track will not affect the entire ground."
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