Where Tendulkar and Kambli learnt cricket: MCA offers to take over Shivaji Park’s upkeep

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has approached the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seeking permission to develop and maintain Shivaji Park. In a letter sent on August 14, the MCA proposed to shoulder the costs of the work, while the civic body was currently preparing a beautification project for Dadar ground worth Rs 2.25 crores.

The MCA outlined its intention to preserve the ground's sporting heritage and improve it for future generations in the letter. Shivaji Park, spanning 28 acres, has long been a crucial cricketing training ground, particularly for Ramakant Achrekar and legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli during their early careers. The MCA characterized the park as having a rich cricketing legacy, historical significance, and a vital role in Mumbai’s sporting culture.

The proposed actions would align with the requirements of the BMC and other authorities. This request arrives as the BMC gets set to commence its own Rs 2.25 crore beautification and illumination project around the park's periphery, involving repairs to the katta, broken tiles, tree surrounds, guards, and illumination around sculptures.

The MCA’s proposal emerges at a time when the maintenance and use of the city’s iconic open spaces remain contentious issues. Despite emphasizing Shivaji Park's cricketing legacy, any work on the ground would require the BMC’s approval and compliance with civic and other applicable regulations.