TMC’s fee hike plan upsets sportspersons

THANE: ThaneMunicipalCorporation had promised to provide world-class sports facilities to nurturemoreinternational-level sportspersons. But, its recent move to increase charges for using sports facilities in playgrounds and stadiums has irked sportspersons.

Those in sports said this will onlydeterthemfromusingfacilities. TMC has proposed to increase by 15% monthly and annualfeestouseitssportsfacilitiessuchasplaygrounds,pitches, stadiums,clubsandothersports equipment. The new rates, if approved by the general body, willbeapplicabletoallproperties suchasDadojiKonddevStadium, MaulanaAbdulKalamAzadstadium, Shree Sharadchandraji Pawarminisportscomplex,ShahidHemantKarkareminisports complex and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar mini sports complex.

The civic body has increased the rates for using pitches at Dadoji Konddev Stadium for practice — it used to charge ₹30,000 for one batch which has beenincreasedto₹80,000abatch.

An officer from sports department said, “We have increased charges by 15% rates to use our sports facilities across the city. Apartfromcricket,chargeshave increasedtoothersportssuchas badminton, table tennis, billiards, bridge, chess, squash and carom among others. There was a huge different between expensesearnedandincurredon the sports facilities. We spent much more on its maintenance thantherevenue.So,wedecided to increase the rates.”

The proposed rates will be tabled in the general body meetingtobeheldnextweek. Theofficer added, “We had finalised the charges in 2015, however there was no increase. Last year, we spent ₹3.5 crore to renovate Dadoji Konddev Stadium as per theMumbaiCricketAssociation Standard, thus it is also important to maintain the standard. Many commercial, educational, culturalandsocialorganisations rent the sports facilities and the newrateswillbeapplicableafter thegeneralbodyapprovesthem.”

Spotspersonssaidtheincrease ismorethan15%astheactualfigures in the proposal show an increase of 30 to 40% in the charges. The sports faculty has claimed that the exorbitant increase in charges will not be affordable for most coaches or institutes. “Thefeeforthepitchis ₹80,000 for merely 20 players at a time. The hikes rates will lead to more loss than profit for TMC as not many can afford them. Though TMC claims that Dadoji Konddev ground will host Ranji matches,thereisnosignfromthe MCA.Moreover,asTMChasonly renovated Dadoji Konddev Stadium, there was no need to increasechargesofall thesports complexes.”