The Maharashtra cabinet has approved to lease a 2,000-square-meter plot in Bandra, Mumbai, to cricketer Ajinkya Rahane. The government granted the lease for a 30-year period for the development of state-of-the-art sports facilities on the land.
The land had originally been given to legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar in 1988. The government allotted the site to him to build an indoor training facility. However, no development occurred for over 30 years. In May 2022, the government repossessed the land due to the lack of progress.
As per sources, the condition of the plot has degraded over time. Slum dwellers have also started using the space for unrelated activities. Now, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has passed a resolution to transfer the lease to Rahane. The cabinet has also approved the proposal.
In a report by FPJ, former housing minister Jitendra Awhad talked about Gavaskar’s non-use of the land in 2021. Awhad said that he considered cancelling it earlier but decided against it out of respect for Gavaskar’s contributions to cricket.
The land had been under the management of the Sunil Gavaskar Cricket Foundation Trust. Later, Gavaskar himself returned the plot to the government in May 2022.
Share
Tweet
