Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s sporting grounds are being gradually taken over for administrative requirements, leaving little space for children to play. The kids are disallowed from playing in parks, and they face increasing blocks while accessing local open grounds.
Once bustling hubs for sports and recreation, these grounds now tell stories of restricted access, misuse, and dwindling opportunities for athletes and the general public alike.
Parade Ground in Secunderabad, cherished by morning walkers and event organisers, has seen its accessibility shrink over the years. In October 2014, the Army permitted walkers two-hour slots in the mornings and evenings.
However, frequent events and military exercises often restrict public access. Protests erupted in 2017 when plans to repurpose the ground surfaced, with over 700 walkers forming a human chain.
Harikiran Naidu, a local resident, said, “We would frequent the Parade Ground so often earlier, but things changed so much in the past decade. It’s disheartening to see it closed off when so many rely on it for exercise and social interactions.”
Bison Ground, historically a shared space for sports and recreation, now primarily serves as a training site for National Cadet Corps (NCC) camps. Morning walkers and sports enthusiasts lament its unavailability.
Prashant Velpula, a fitness enthusiast, said, “It’s disappointing to lose access to such a central ground. The NCC’s requirements are important, but so is community health and fitness.”
Gymkhana Ground has been taken over by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), focusing exclusively on cricket activities. “Cricket is already well-supported, but what about hockey or athletics? Where are we supposed to go?” questioned Sandeep Reddy, a budding hockey player.
The iconic hockey ground, once a training site for Olympians, has fallen into disrepair. Encroachments and poor maintenance have turned it into a cesspool. “It’s heartbreaking to see a ground with such a rich legacy in ruins. We grew up wanting to train here and now we’re looking for alternative spaces,” said Pranav Teja, a young hockey player.
At Langer Houz, the GHMC playground in Prashantnagar, near Ambedkar Government School, has been turned into an overnight parking lot for cars, trucks, and tiffin vehicles. This has rendered the ground unusable for sports or community activities. Local resident Ravi Kumar remarked, “Every night, the ground is filled with vehicles. It’s impossible for children or residents to use it. We’ve raised complaints, but nothing has changed.”
The PJR Playground in Lakshmi Narasimha Nagar is also plagued by misuse, with instances of public alcohol consumption and nuisance activities at night. Residents feel unsafe and avoid the area after dark. “It’s no longer a playground but a hub of rowdy behaviour. Families and children have completely stopped coming here,” said Anuradha K.S., a resident. “Even walking in the street becomes difficult due to the commotion.”
The Telangana government, however, plans to transform Dhobi Ghat in Secunderabad Cantonment into a modern sports complex. That would rob local children of a large part of the ground.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, during a site inspection in November, said the project would bring state-of-the-art facilities to the community while preserving the essence of the space. However, concerns remain about its accessibility.
“It’s going to cost people a monthly fee, we hear,” said cricketer Tarun Reddy.
The Moghalpura Sports Complex has already been converted into a Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) office, sparking outrage among local residents and athletes. “We’ve lost a vital space for training and recreation. Such decisions show how little priority sports get in urban planning,” said Karunya P, a young athlete.
At NTR Stadium, the ground is frequently let out of events. When the tents come up, there is little space for children to play.
At the moment, GHMC manages 12 sports complexes, seven swimming pools, and 521 playgrounds. Each summer, it organises coaching camps at 1,600 centres in 51 sports, with over 1,800 coaches, including Olympians, mentoring athletes and unique sports like sepaktakraw are also supported.
As Hyderabad’s population grows and urbanisation accelerates, the balance between sports infrastructure and civic needs remains precarious, believe players. “The city’s rich sporting heritage deserves better planning and protection to ensure future generations have access to quality facilities,” Anuradha, said.
