Renovated Wankhede: Beautiful outside, wretched inside?
All that glitters is not gold. That's exactly the case with the Wankhede Stadium, which underwent renovation (Rs 285 crores as reported) for the 2011 World Cup.
Project Management Consultants (PMC), a private firm appointed by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to submit a detailed report of the renovation, has made some shocking revelations.
The report has noted several flaws in the new-look stadium.
>> The curator had proposed Bermuda grass to be planted in the outfield, but local grass was used due to the former's unavailability.
>> Lack of shade for the spectators in the North Stand and East Stand Upper.
>> The paver blocks fixed around the stadium were of inferior quality.
>> Bucket seats are not comfortable.
>> Flooring in the stadium is not up to the mark and the surface in the stands is uneven.
>> Dressing room to be extended till the viewing gallery of the players.
>> Water proofing of the South basement and control rooms of floodlight towers.
MCA Joint Honorary secretary, Dr PV Shetty said all the points observed by the PMC would be discussed in the next Managing Committee meeting on August 20. "We will take up all the observations into our next Managing Committee meeting," he said.
Meanwhile, the Vilasrao Deshmukh-headed MCA is yet to appoint the all-important Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC), which decides appointment of coaches, selectors and team's support staff. It is over a month since Deshmukh and Co have come to power. "It seems everybody was only eager to win the elections. Nobody wants to do any work after being elected," an MCA official stated.