Even as the city battles to protect its open spaces, the city collector recently met the representatives of a clutch of gymkhanas and grounds located in South Mumbai to explain the hike in rent lease fees and to discuss the number of non-sporting programmes being conducted on these grounds. The discussions are welcome, given that gymkhanas were finding it difficult to decode the technical lingo of the lease fee hike. With so much friction currently between clubs and officials, it was time for them to sit across the table and talk about various aspects. Given all the developments in the recent past, we are at a stage where the city's head honchos are redefining how gymkhanas are going to be run in the near future, who holds the reins of these clubs and if non-members have any stake on these public grounds.

The important part of the discussion was, of course, about these grounds being used for programmes other than sport. Presently, we see sporting turfs being used to host marriages, parties, celebrations and exhibitions.