Despite the lapse of almost eight months, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has yet to renovate and re-open G/9 cricket ground which was sealed by the area assistant commissioner after a scuffle between the management of a club and traders. The lush green cricket ground built in the heart of the capital at a cost of millions of rupees has been left to lie derelict with broken chairs strewn all across the ground and unkempt grass all over the place, leaving no space for youths to play.
In the begging of the current year, the ground was sealed by the area assistant commissioner following a scuffle between the management of a club and traders as the latter accused the former of charging fees from locals for playing matches. It has tuned into a dumping ground while the city’s civic authority has been dragging its feet on the matter for the last eight months, which has put the ground’s future at stake and deprived the youths of the area of the playing facility. Damaged fences and chairs lying scattered across the ground speak volumes about the CDA’s lack of interest in restoring the ground to its original condition.
The youths of the area have demanded the CDA chairman to take notice of the issue. “It is the responsibility of the CDA to ensure recreational and sports facilities to the youth. I appeal to the CDA chairman to make the playground available for local people,” said Moosa Hussain, a youth of the area.
Despite frequent attempts made by this scribe on Sunday, CDA spokesman Ramzan Sajid could not be approached for his comments. It is relevant to note here that some two months ago, when Pakistan Today contacted the spokesman for the CDA’s version on the same story, he said the civic authority had decided to allocate money for the renovation of the ground.
“I admit the ground is in a dilapidated condition, but it will not remain in the current state anymore,” he had said. However, despite lapse of two months after Ramzan Sajid’s statement nothing has happened.
