Hyderabad: Part of the iconic Marredpally playground, a practice den for at least a dozen cricket and baseball players representing the country and also budding players is being demarcated for a bus bay. However, a final call would be taken after an inspection on Friday.
This was cause for concern to players and even Marredpally residents, as the playground opposite Shenoy Nursing Home was their only lung space. Though GHMC had not issued any notice, it made a verbal announcement of the acquisition plan.
The ground had been used for play and practice since 1970, mainly for cricket, hockey, softball and baseball.
The country’s woman cricketer B. Sandra and many other baseball players used this ground for practice.
TS Baseball Association secretary L. Rajender said, “Currently, owing to space constraints, outfield practice of baseball is not being held. Once the bus bay is constructed, it will completely stall coaching. The structure will bring along vendors, toilets and more and this will eat up more space.”
The ground under GHMC control was 110m long and 57m wide. Cricket coach R. Hari Narayan Rao and many others submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner seeking stalling of the bus bay plan.
“There are coaching camps held 365 days at the biggest ground in Marredpally, mainly cricket, baseball and karate. The bus bay will hamper the sporting activities. On any given day children are found playing and several competitions and camps are also held there. The GHMC should roll back the plan,” Hari said.
While the plan to establish the bus bay was originally by the traffic and transport wing of GHMC, the decision was taken to ease congestion due to TSRTC buses halting at the Marredpally ground crossroads. Officials were expected to visit the area on Friday and then take a call.
A sports department official of GHMC told Deccan Chronicle, “Over six meters of land is required, which means over 20 feet of the ground will be acquired for the bus bay. However, owing to public resentment, an inspection will be held on Friday and a report will be submitted to the GHMC Commissioner. As of now, no plan has been finalised.”
