When the maidans disappear, where does the nation go to play?
As the country celebrates National Sports Day on Saturday, for youngsters to choose the playground over the PlayStation, there first needs to be a playground left to choose.
In the vibrant city of Kanpur, once bustling with sporting activities, the public maidans have been gradually disappearing, leaving the community grappling with the loss of their democratic spaces. These maidans, accessible to all regardless of their background, were once a haven for people of all ages to play cricket, fly kites, and even watch matches. However, these once-thriving grounds are now being converted into private facilities, such as sports complexes, convention centers, and marriage halls.
One such example is the Palika Stadium, which used to accommodate two cricket matches simultaneously, alongside a basketball court and indoor spaces for chess and carrom tournaments. Its transformation into a multi-purpose indoor sports complex with a membership fee has made it inaccessible to the general public. The rental cost for matches ranges from Rs 12,000 to Rs 85,000, a stark contrast to the affordable monthly fee of the academy that operated within the stadium.
Similar changes can be witnessed in the other maidans adjacent to Palika Stadium. One ground has been transformed into a park, while another has been enclosed by walls and now serves as a venue for weddings and other events. The only remaining usable patch is a small area next to the walled ground, which is not in good condition.
This phenomenon is not limited to Kanpur, as several other cities have experienced the same trend. In Unnao district, the Ram Leela ground near Hiran Nagar, which was once used for sports, has become a parking lot for transport operators. In Mumbai, the Neville D Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation is under threat of being converted into an exhibition or convention center, with the Bombay High Court temporarily halting the Municipal Corporation's proposal.
The Union budget 2026-27 allocated Rs 4,479.88 crore for the development and maintenance of sports infrastructure, emphasizing the government's commitment to promoting sports. However, the disappearance of open maidans poses a significant challenge for the nation to maintain a sporting culture without these common public spaces.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
