A broken gate and a compound wall permitting free entry and exit to anyone and everyone is not what one would expect to witness at a historic site. But this is the state of affairs at the Central College cricket ground, which has hosted legends and legendary matches in the past.
Four months after the grounds – the only one Bangalore University (BU) has now - were used by an organisation for a convention left the premises and the pitch in a deplorable state, nothing has changed. Neither the promised reimbursement has reached BU, nor have the repairs been carried out.
In March this year, a convention was held by the Yadava Sangha at Freedom Park. BU officials alleged that though permission was taken from Vice-Chancellor, B. Thimme Gowda, to allow parking near the Central College premises, close to 300 buses taken on contract from the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), the Bangalore Metropolitan Corporation (BMTC) and other private vehicles were parked on the ground. The vehicles left the pitch damaged, while the compound wall and the metal gate were left in a broken state. A police complaint was booked against the secretary of the Yadava Sangha, the BMTC, the KSRTC and also the police
R. Munireddy, Director, Directorate of Physical Education, BU said that since then, a mutual understanding was struck between the varsity and the sangha. “They agreed to fill in for the damages. Since then, we have written at least three letters but have got no replies so far. We will send one more reminder after which we shall be forced to take the legal route,” he said.
The March rampage had also destroyed the Australian grass spread across the 600 mt circumference and 85-yard radius worth Rs. 36 lakh. Prof. Munireddy said the BU staff had started laying native grass on the pitch. The repair of the six-foot high compound wall and gate will cost at least Rs. 70,000. Without them, expensive sporting equipment was at risk, he said.
Meanwhile, Vijay Yadav, organising secretary of the Yadava Sangha, said they could only afford to reimburse the compound wall . “We begged the BU to give us the space to park our vehicles. No other damages were caused by us,” he maintained.
