All systems go for BCCI@ Wankhedestadium

DNA SPECIAL

MUMBAI: New BCCI  president Sharad Pawar is putting the board’s money where his mouth is. Post-elections, a new workplace was promised and that is exactly what BCCI officials are going to get. If all goes as planned, the BCCI headquarters will sport a glitzy look and a new address — the Wankhede. Estimated cost: Rs 6cr.

“We pursued the offer made by Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) about a year ago and the former chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde amended the land lease of MCA at the time. We had begun planning for the new building since then,” Professor Ratnakar Shetty, executive secretary, BCCI, told DNA.

He says that the previous president and officials had operated from their residences and, as a result, the value of BCCI’s office was lowered. “It’s stated clearly in the constitution of BCCI that the HQ will be in Mumbai,” he said, refuting that any ‘shift’ in headquarters was taking place. “The BCCI office was never shifted to Kolkata, except that all officials operated from their own residences. As a result, the importance of the HQ had gone down. We will now have an official address for our cricketing body.”

The spooky old office of BCCI at the Brabourne stadium will soon be history then. Work for the new swanky building has begun and is likely to be over by August 2006. The office will be a four-storeyed building to be made of black stone cladding, aluminium composite panels and blue-glass.  “The look will be a mix of the classic and the contemporary keeping in mind the nature of the institution. The furniture will be elegant and formal. As for the museum, we want a controlled environment that will preserve the DVDs and CDs,” says the architect Shashi Prabhu.

The BCCI office will be on the first floor with offices for the four officials including the newly elected president Sharad Pawar. The tenders for the construction have opened with BG Shirke Company bidding with lowest price. Developers Unity Infrastructure, Nagarjuna and Billimoria constructors were the other bidders.

It will also have a 288-seat capacity conference hall and a 2500 square feet museum space. “We will place all our trophies including the 1983 World Cup. We want to preserve the history of Indian cricket,” said Professor Shetty.

The story so far

• Deal with CCI for BCCI office fell through
• Former CM Sushilkumar Shinde amended MCA lease

What next?

• 10,000 sq ft office in Wankhede Stadium; cost Rs 6cr
• First floor will have BCCI administrative office, conference hall and museum space
• Second floor to have MCA and its offices
• Third floor to have restaurant, convention hall and board room
• Fourth floor will be entirely used for accommodation (16 rooms), with sit-out
  eating facility
• New HQ to be the official address for all communication henceforth
• Museum to have place for trophies, films 
• MS Prabhu and associates, official architects of BCCI
• Bids for construction opened, B G Shirke has bid the lowest
• Office slated to be ready within a year