GHMC opens doors to pay & play

Hyderabad: Schools and colleges that  have no sports curriculum because they have no playground or open space, can make use of the GHMC's sports facilities, its playgrounds, indoor and outdoor complexes, on a 'pay and play' basis.

That is, they can hire the GHMC playground for a day or half a day and even conduct their annual sports day there. The playgrounds can be booked for up to a year. More than half the private schools in the city have no playground attached and many function from a single building in residential localities. There are more than 3,000 private schools in the Hyderabad conglomerate.

There are 521 playgrounds within the GHMC limits, about 158 of them less than 500 square metres. Such playgrounds would be charged at the rate of Rs 250 per hour. About 124 playgrounds with an area of about 500 sq mt to 1,000 sq mt will be charged Rs 500 an hour. There are 97 playgrounds of 1,000-2000 sq mt and the rental for these playgrounds would be Rs 800.

The charges for larger areas are: 89 playgrounds of 2,000 to 4,000 sq mt — Rs 1,200 per hour. And 90 playgrounds of more than 4,000 sq mts —Rs1,500. These rates are open to revision.

Central Zone, Municipal Commissioner, Hari Chandana Dasari, said, “Interested schools and citizens can book the playground by logging on to the GHMC official website www.ghmc.gov.in. The GHMC is looking at renting big grounds for Rs 10,000 for 75 hours. The rates for smaller playgrounds will differ. The party can book it for a day, week, month or a year by contacting the concerned circle office. That apart, individuals can become members of the GHMC sports complex by paying a nominal fee of Rs 50-100. The GHMC has already formulated the online process and the booking for playgrounds is open.” There has been no criticism regarding the pay-play scheme so far, as the GHMC provides the structure and the equipment.

E-book a slot in ghmc  sports complexes for a fee
Not just sports institutions, but individuals or corporations or a group of individuals, can now e-book a slot in GHMC sports complexes-for a fee. The GHMC standing committee has approved a pay-and-play facility at its 14 sports complexes, especially for sports that are in high demand, such as tennis, badminton and cricket. These facilities were earlier free.

The corporation is looking at charging users on an hourly basis, which will vary based on the area of the playgrounds. GHMC, through this, is looking at increasing its revenue. The payment will be done online, and users will have to book time slots. The pay-and-play model is already functional at the Telangana Sports Authority.

GHMC Sports complexs:

• Gowlipura, Moghalpura, Chandulal Baradari,
• Vijaynagar Colony – II, Red Hills Sports
• Complex, Golkonda, Victoria Playground, Amberpet, Gandhi nagar, Musheerabad, Shaikpet, Ameerpet,
• PJR sports complex, Lalapet sports

Swimming pools
Secunderabad – Patny junction, Moghalpura, Ameerpet, Sanath nagar swimming pool, Vijaynagar colony, Amberpet, Chandulal Baradari

Tennis courts
Indira park, Jubilee hills, Srinagar colony, Sindhi colony, PJR sports complex

Skating rinks
 With the Secunderabad swimming pool premises, Indira park, Victory playground, Ameepet, Vijaynagar colony, Shaikpet, Red hills, Phool Bagh, Moghalpura, Santhoshnagar, PJR sports complex – Chandanagar

3,000 Private schools in Hyderabad
50%: Do not have playgrounds

GHMC playgrounds and cost to hire

• 158: Less than 500 sq mts to cost Rs 250 per hour
• 124: 500 to 1,000 sq mts  Rs 500 per hour
• 97: between 1,000 and 2,000 sq mts
• Rs 800 per hour
• 89: Area between 2,000 to 4,000 sq mts
• Rs 1,200 per hour
• 90: More than 4,000
• Rs 1,500 per hour

Summer coaching camps being organised by GHMC in 2017

• 2,014 Camps across Greater Hyderabad
• 2,065 Coaches 
• 6-8am timings for classes
• May 8-13: Sports quiz in all zones of GHMC
• 16 May onwards inter-summer camp competitions will be organized in
• 16 different games
• 51 Different types of indoor and outdoor games  being offered to students this summer.
• 7 Roller skating rinks
• 14 Sports complexes
• 7 Swimming pools
• 521 Playgrounds

Children practise skating at the one of the GHMC’s skating rinks as a part of the summer coaching camp in Hyderabad.(Photo: DC)

List of Olympians and National players who will be part of the GHMC coaching camps – 2017

• Boxing : Jairam —Arjuna Awardee
• Hockey : N. Mukesh Kumar — Awardee
• Volley ball:  Mulani reddy — Arjuna Awardee
• Skating : Anup Yama —Arjuna Awardee
• Badminton: Sa Arif — Awardee
• Football:  Md Zulfiqaruddin— Olympian
• Sepaltakraw: Sameena Begum — Asian games medalist
• Cricket: Venkatapathi Raju — Former Test player
• Table tennis: Mir Kashim Ali —Arjuna Awardee
• Football : Shabbir Ali —Dronacharya Awardee

 Women’s cricket: Ghour Sultana — member of the women’s cricket team

Advance coaching camps
GHMC organises advance coaching camps for selected trainees during the summer coaching camps in selected games. These candidates will later form the teams for GHMC in different games to showcase their talent in local competitions.

Girls practise dribbling during a basketball summer camp coaching session organised at the Victory Playground in Hyderabad. (Photo: DC)

Activities taken up in various indoor sports complexes: Volleyball, table tennis, basket ball, boxing, carom, chess, yoga, gymnastics, badminton, sepaktakram, fitness center, swimming.

GYM fitnesscenters: Gym halls in 150 divisions and sports complexes