Former Mumbai Cricket Association official Nadim Memon slams Metro authorities for rendering outfields of Azad Maidan clubs unsuitable for cricket
Former Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) managing committee member and Maidan sub-committee secretary Nadim Memon yesterday lashed out at the Metro authorities who have started work on the Metro III project at Azad Maidan, rendering the outfield unplayable.
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Curator Zulfikar Ahmed Shaikh points to the holes dug at Azad Maidan to mark the area for the forthcoming Metro III project. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Work on the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro corridor will probably prevent the monsoon Dr HD Kanga Cricket League matches from taking place at Azad Maidan. The League is scheduled to kick off on July 24.
Ex MCA member Nadim Memon
MCA, organisers of the 68-year-old tournament, said they will request Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) to postpone their work till the end of October, when the tournament concludes.
“Some of the clubs are over 100 years old. The Metro authorities didn’t even notify us before resuming work. Neither did they offer us alternate venues for the clubs to host matches,” said Memon, who handles the affairs of Young Muslim Sports Club.
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He urged the MCA not to give up the fight against the government authorities. “When I was MCA’s maidan secretary in 2014, I called the Metro authorities for three meetings. I insisted on an alternate venue. The MCA should go to court if they are not responding. The MCA must support their clubs and not the government,” added Memon.
16 out of the 22 clubs at Azad Maidan are affected by the Metro-III project, including prominent ones like Parsee Cyclists, Baronet, John Bright, Bohra Cricketers and Navroz.
Memon, also a former curator of the Wankhede Stadium, is planning a morcha to the chief minister’s office in protest.
“These grounds are close to my heart. We don’t know how long this work will go on and in what shape will we get these grounds back,” Memon remarked.
Meanwhile the Kanga League sub-committee is set to meet today to further discuss the Azad Maidan issue.
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