BMC to allow football, cricket on civic grounds

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to change a 29-year-old rule that prohibits cricket or football on any civic playgrounds.

DNA had recently reported about MLA Nawab Malik being fined for organising a cricket tournament on a BMC playground, which the civic body claimed was against the rules.

Nearly two months after the incident, the civic body has had a change of heart and wants to amend the policy. It will now allow all games, including cricket and football, on BMC playgrounds.

The proposal will soon be tabled in the market and garden committee. After it is approved, it will be implemented immediately. Kumar Pandey, chairman of the committee, said, “It was a very old resolution. Cricket is a very popular game and it is not right to stop people from playing it on the BMC grounds. The same goes for football.”

The BMC had passed the resolution in 1981, which said that no BMC-owned playgrounds can be used for cricket or football. However, there was no problem if these grounds were used for political meetings, religious functions or for Indian sports such as kabaddi and badminton.

The market and garden committee of the BMC, which had passed the resolution, did not explain the reason for restricting the games.