Former MCA president Ravi Savant alleges mismanagement of association's grounds at BKC and Kandivali

In a strongly-worded letter, former president of Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Ravi Savant has urged the current board chief Ashish Shelar to set up an inquiry to look into the alleged use Bandra Kurla Complex and Kandivali grounds for commercial purposes other than cricket. [caption id=“attachment_4344107” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Getty[/caption] The BKC ground and the Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana in Kandivli come under MCA and both have been granted First Class status by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The letter, accessed by the Times of India, was written on 12 February and it states, “As you are aware, both the above grounds have been accredited as ‘First Class Grounds’ (fit for First Class games) by the BCCI. The MCA is maintaining the said grounds at very high cost. There were also rules for use of above grounds framed by the MCA. Presently, the Kandivali ground is being used for tennis-ball tournaments. Has the managing committee given its permission for such tournaments? Is it not ironical that when the MCA’s own tournaments are being cancelled due to scarcity of grounds in Mumbai, such tournaments are being played with fanfare and loud speakers?” Savant also writes, “Similarly, launch a complete enquiry into the use of the BKC ground. Regularly, friendly matches are being arranged at those grounds. It’s being alleged that the grounds are booked in one person/agency name only and then it is sublet by charging extra money underhand. Recently, even the BCCI women’s matches were shifted from our ground to the MIG club. Who was favoured at the cost of the BCCI? Who is booking these matches? Who has fixed the ground charges?” Savant, who’s also a former BCCI treasurer, also went on question the dual role of the MCA vice president Vinod Deshpande. He asked how Deshpande, being an office-bearer, can also be the in charge of BKC’s indoor academy, going against the Lodha reforms.