Mumbai: Khar Gymkhana members to debate padel courts and cricket ground space

Gaurav Kapadia, Khar Gymkhana president

A Special General Body Meeting (SGM) of Khar Gymkhana members is slated to be held on Tuesday, June 23 evening. The prime agenda of the meeting is that approval of the General Body has been granted for development and construction of two to four padel ball courts on the Khar Gymkhana grounds. It is signed by general secretaries Adv. Jahnavi Gurnani and Gautam Chande and adds as postscript that only eligible members with ID card will be allowed at meeting.

Trupen Desai, Khar Gymkhana member and former cricketer, said, "We cricket supporters are against padel ball courts coming up on the Gymkhana grounds. Cricket grounds need to have a boundary of at least 65m. We, at Khar, have a boundary that is just 50m. Now, even if 15 to 20 feet are taken away for padel ball courts then the ground will become even smaller and we will be left with no cricket at all."

Gaurav Kapadia president, Khar Gymkhana stated, "We are constitutionally bound to call this meeting. The Managing Committee has not proposed this meeting. This has been called and signed by more than 100 members of the club. Here, the matter will be put to vote by a show of hands," he concluded.

About padel ball

Padel is a fast-paced, highly strategic racquet sport that combines the elements of tennis and squash. It is typically played in doubles on a smaller, enclosed court made of glass and wire mesh, allowing players to hit the ball off the walls similar to squash.