Nehru stadium gets new look, may see action again

PUNE: Ten years after it hosted its last international cricket match, the Nehru stadium in Swargate is set for a revamp.
Though the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has constructed their own stadium in Gahunje, the Pune Municipal Corporation, which owns the Nehru stadium, says the renewed facility could be used for Ranji matches and practice sessions for youngsters.
The PMC has allotted Rs 5.5 crore for the makeover. "We will spend about Rs 3 crore on ground and pitch development. The remaining amount will be spent on pavilion, floodlights and maintenance at a later stage," said PMC additional commissioner Rajendra Jagtap.
Nadim Memon, a sports ground consultant and managing committee member of the Mumbai Cricket Association, has been given the charge for ground and pitch. "The work has started and by monsoon the ground should be ready. It will now have everything that it lacked in the past," Memon told TOI. Right from grass to the number of pitches...everything will be as per the international norms, he added.
"The ground did not have water sprinklers. We have dug up the whole space to install sprinklers and put the drainage system in place. Besides the central pitch, there will be nine alternative pitches. There will be four practice tracks too," Memon said.
The new surface will be covered with Bermuda grass which is used at international sporting venues. "I use a mix of two types of soils to make pitches. We will mix Pune's Poyta soil with red soil from Khandala," said Memon, who has done up over 40 grounds across the country, including the Wankhede and DY Patil stadiums in Mumbai and Motera in Ahmedabad.
Since the MCA uses Gahunje stadium, it is unlikey that the Nehru stadium will get any international fictures. Jagtap said the new facility will help budding cricketers. "We will install lights so that youngsters can train till 10 pm. We also hope to host some Ranji matches if not the big ones," he added.
Earlier, the MCA had decided to part ways with the Nehru Stadium management following differences over the use of stadium for social functions and unfair demands for match passes from various authorities in the city.
Jagtap said, "Now that we are spending so much money on renovation, we will make sure the ground is not used for any activity but cricket. Social functions and weddings will not be held here henceforth."
The last international match played at the Nehru stadium was a one-day between India and Sri Lanka in 2005.