View-The Oval Maidan
The Oval Maidan(ground) is a large Grade I recreational ground situated just south of Churchgate in South Mumbai. It was named Oval Maidan because of its oval shape. It is a huge and popular recreational ground laced with palm trees for cricket and football (soccer) spread in 22 acres in area. The government does not allow rallies or any functions other than sports on the ground.
The ground was very poorly maintainedand and it was being frequented by beggars, prostitutes and drug peddlers till 1997, when it was being run by the state govenment. Finally in 1997, a public charitable trust was set up by the residents of the area, named "Oval-Cooperage Residents Association (OCRA)". The trust petitioned the Maharashtra government to allow them to maintain the Oval maidan. The Maharashtra government did not respond to the petition. Then trust filed a petition in the Bombay High Court against the Maharashtra government. The Court ruled in the favour of the trust forcing the government to either maintain the maidan itself or hand it over to ORCA. The ground was subsequently handed over to the ORCA.The ORCA then fenced the ground and built a jogging track around the periphery.
The ground was very poorly maintainedand and it was being frequented by beggars, prostitutes and drug peddlers till 1997, when it was being run by the state govenment. Finally in 1997, a public charitable trust was set up by the residents of the area, named "Oval-Cooperage Residents Association (OCRA)". The trust petitioned the Maharashtra government to allow them to maintain the Oval maidan. The Maharashtra government did not respond to the petition. Then trust filed a petition in the Bombay High Court against the Maharashtra government. The Court ruled in the favour of the trust forcing the government to either maintain the maidan itself or hand it over to ORCA. The ground was subsequently handed over to the ORCA.The ORCA then fenced the ground and built a jogging track around the periphery.
No comments:
Post a Comment