Players say political rallies officially allowed for a day disrupt sports at Shivaji Park for nearly 10 days, leaving behind debris, uneven ground and injury risks
Garbage, including liquor bottles (circled), lie scattered at Shivaji Park three days after the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) rallies and two days after the BJP sabha, highlighting delayed clean-up at the iconic ground on Wednesday. Pic/Ashish Raje
Shivaji Park, a cradle for generations of cricketers and athletes, is once again bearing the brunt of political activities. While political parties are officially granted permission to hold rallies for just one day, players and coaches say the disruption to sports at the ground stretches to nearly 10 days.
Following the political sabhas held on January 11 and 12, the condition of the ground remains far from normal even three and two days after the events, respectively. Garbage, discarded clothes, plastic waste, and food remnants are still strewn across large sections of the park. In several spots, the surface remains uneven and dug up, posing injury risks for players who return for practice soon after the rallies.
“Whenever there is a big political event, they remove all our goalposts. This forces us to spend money reinstalling them and also disturbs the ground level. It creates holes and makes practice difficult,” said footballer Kaustubh Sardal.
Garbage and discarded material lie scattered at Shivaji Park three days after an MNS rally and two days after the BJP sabha, highlighting delayed clean-up at the iconic ground on Wednesday. Pics/Ashish Raje
Echoing the concern, fellow player Vishant Nijampurkar said injuries are a real risk. “There have been instances where we have fallen during practice because our legs got caught in garbage or chindis. We usually practice in the evening, and in low light, it is hard to see what is lying on the ground. Grounds are meant for sports. Allowing political events here should be stopped completely.”
Local cricketers and coaches point out that while the rallies last only a few hours, preparation and dismantling take several days. “Barricades, stages and sound systems are set up well in advance, restricting access to large portions of the ground. After the rally, clean-up takes far too long,” said cricket coach Mahendra Ghaisas. “Children and young trainees lose practice time and are exposed to unsafe playing conditions.”
Used daily by hundreds of aspiring sportspersons, the ground becomes hazardous due to uneven surfaces, uncovered pits and leftover debris. “We are often forced to cancel sessions or restrict movement on the field until basic restoration is done. Sometimes, out of helplessness, we end up cleaning the area ourselves with help from parents,” Ghaisas added.
Residents and sports groups have repeatedly urged civic authorities to enforce stricter post-event clean-up norms. “The irony is that the sabha was held ahead of the BMC elections. The BMC is responsible for maintaining public spaces. Yet after such rallies, the ground and even nearby roads are left littered with garbage,” said Dadar resident Ravi Puranik.
Regular users of the park argue that political organisers should be made accountable for restoring the ground within 24 hours. “If permission is for one day, the inconvenience should also be limited to one day,” said Vandana Nagwe, who brings her grandson for daily cricket practice at the park.
BMC responds
“We give permission only for one day when the event is planned. No special permission is granted for additional days to install or dismantle stages. At present, most of the staff is engaged in election duty, which may be delaying clean-up. We will ensure the ground is restored to its original condition at the earliest,” said Satish Mane, estate officer, G North ward.
Political parties respond
“Our event was on January 11, and the Mahayuti event was on January 12. Ideally, it was their responsibility to ensure the ground was cleared the same night. We had cleaned the ground after our event and handed it over in good condition,” said Sandeep Deshpande, MNS Mumbai head.
“We will look into the matter and request the ward officer to ensure immediate cleaning. If the ground level has been damaged on a large scale, necessary action will be taken using the security deposit paid to the BMC,” said Niranjan Shetty, BJP Mumbai spokesperson.
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