Mumbaikars, decide on your sports gear as the city is set to have not one but two open multi-sports complex!
In an attempt to encourage Mumbaikars in the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has built two king-sized sports complex in the suburbs, which are on the verge of completion and will be opened to the public by mid-April.
The project is headed by the garden cell of the civic body and the complex are located at Andheri (West) and Dahisar (West). An estimated Rs 22 crore has been spent in the construction of each ground.
Veera Desai Road proposed layout |
The Dahisar complex has been built on the Bhavdevi playground, beside the Dahisar river and will be spread on an area of 15 acres. Once completed, the Bhavdevi sports complex will be the largest-ever one in the maximum city, with dedicated regular-sized football and cricket grounds.
The length of the football ground will be 100 yards, while the cricket ground’s diameter will be 150 metres. A dedicated track for jogging and cycling is also being built along the boundary of the cricket ground. The complex will also have kabaddi, basketball, volleyball, kho-kho and tennis courts.
Bhavadevi presentation. |
The Andheri (W) sports complex is being built at the Veera Desai Road over an area of 12 acres land. It will have a single ground of 160 metres in diameter, which will be used for playing both football and cricket and a one kilometre long synthetic jogging and cycling tracks. With the dedicated basketball and volleyball courts, the complex will have a gymnasium with all modern amenities.
Both the complex will have a dedicated children’s play arena.
“The aim to build such dedicated sports complex is to encourage Mumbaikars to adapt a fitter and healthier means of lifestyle,” said an architect of the garden cell.
“Both complex are designed smartly so that not an inch of space is wasted and Mumbaikars can ensure full use of the amenities available,” he added.
Post completion of the project, the garden cell will float tenders for the annual maintenance and security. The civic body will recruit trained experts to coach and guide Mumbaikars in various activities.
The Dharavi sports complex, spread over an area of only three acres, was the only state run sports complex in the city that went to the hands of private players two years ago.
Thus, the upcoming civic-run sports complex will encourage Mumbaikars to take up sporting activities and lead them to do so in return of a nominal amount.
