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January 04, 2023 01:45 am | Updated 12:37 pm IST – VIJAYAWADA
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Youth play cricket on several pitches simultaneously while a child enjoys cycling on the cricket ground of Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium | Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI
The dearth of open playgrounds in Vijayawada continues to be a discouraging factor for children and youth who would still prefer taking to the grounds on holidays and weekends in the smartphone era.
With the Swarajya Maidan (PWD Grounds) being taken over by the State government for the construction of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Smriti Vanam, Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, which sports a cricket ground and football court among others, has been the only option left for people in the surrounding areas to play.
Until recently, the area consisting football court, cricket nets and other courts used to be dotted by children and youth who play cricket on several pitches simultaneously while the cricket ground, which had once hosted One Day International between India and West Indies in 2002, is allotted for only two teams at a time.
Now, with the State government neglecting the development of the cricket ground, it has become another ‘Swarajya Maidan’.
Since the regime of the previous Telugu Desam Party, the cricket ground was being used to host political, government and private events at a large scale leaving no scope for the authorities to restore it to fit the purpose of playing cricket.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation which owns the stadium is now allowing people to play cricket in large numbers.
“We are allowing people to play cricket in the ground during holidays and weekends. Earlier, they used to play outside the cricket ground, and now since the stadium is not in a condition to host professional matches, we are allowing everyone to make use of the ground,” said VMC, Director of Sports (in-charge) T. Sreenivas when contacted.
He said people are also allowed to play cricket with a hard tennis ball at the Makineni Basavapunnaiah Stadium in Ajith Singh Nagar.
Several people also play games and sports at the Gymkhana Grounds though it is smaller in size. The IGMC stadium will likely host the Republic Day celebrations of the State on January 26. Recently, the ground was used to host the YSR Congress Party’s BC Garjana. VMC had earlier planned to develop the stadium with ₹50 crore budget.
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