Navi Mumbai: The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) is setting up an international cricket academy on an area of 29,899 sq. m or 7.47 acres in New Panvel at a cost of around Rs 9 crore.
The work of the cricket ground has reached the last leg and the civic body has floated a tender to construct 10 different pitches on the ground.
Pitches to be used for practice with season balls & holding matches
The civic body floated a tender to appoint a contractor with experience in developing at least two international standard cricket pitches. In addition, the contractor will have a curator to check the pitch quality. The pitches will be used to practice with season balls and holding matches.
After completion of the civil work, the cricket ground will be handed over to the Dilip Vengsarkar Foundation. The civic body has already signed an agreement with the Dilip Vengsarkar Foundation to provide budding talents of the PMC area free of cost.
According to a senior civic official, at present, the work of making the cricket ground at New Panvel is in progress and the tender for the construction of the pitch has been floated. “Around Rs 66 lakh will be spent on 10 cricket pitches,” said the official, adding that the tenderhas been floated to appoint an experienced company to build the pitch as the ground will be of international standard. “If all goes as per the plan, the actual work of cricket pitches will be completed by May,” said the official.
Free training to at least 101 students
The cricket academy institute will impart free training to at least 101 students in the age group of 10 to 19 years. Fifty percent of them will be from the PMC area, 25 percent from Raigad district and 25 percent from other districts in Maharashtra.
“The most important condition in the selection of the training institute is that the head of the relevant training institute should have at least 100 matches in the Indian cricket test team or one-day international cricket match.
At present, budding cricketers from the Panvel area have to go to Mumbai and other places for training. “Having an international standard cricket training academy in Panvel will provide a platform for young talents. In this training centre, cricketers will get guidance from famous cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar,” said the official.
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