Corporation football turfs in Chennai to go private, fees set at Rs 120 per person per hour

CHENNAI: In a move that triggered instant opposition from allies and arch rivals alike, the Greater Chennai Corporation unveiled plans to handover football turfs, parks, Amma Arangam, and Sir PT Thiyagrayar Kalaiyarangam, to private parties at the council meet on Tuesday.

Despite opposition from councillors, the council meet chaired by Chennai Mayor R Priya adopted the resolution to hand over the upkeep of nine turfs, nearly 600 parks and an auditorium.

After the turfs go to private hands for maintenance, those wanting to use the facility would have to shell out Rs 120 per person per hour – it would cost Rs 1,440 per hour for two teams with just six players each.

The local body also privatised the maintenance of 595 parks in zones 2 to 15, a plan that faced virulent opposition from allies CPI and CPM. The Amma Arangam in Shenoy Nagar, and Sir PT Thiyagrayar Kalaiyarangam, T Nagar, will be handed over to the private contractor for lease for five years.

“The local body will privatise the nine artificial football courts and a minimum charge of Rs 120 per person per hour is to be set for 6 hours a day,” read the resolution.

As per the plan, the contractor would generate Rs 2.3 crore revenue every year, of which the Corporation would get a share of Rs 93 lakh, it said. That is not all. The contractor has been mandated to increase the GCC’s annual income by five per cent every year.

Though CPI, CPM, VCK – all allies of the ruling DMK – and opposition AIADMK councillors opposed the resolution on privatisation, the council where the DMK has majority adopted the resolutions.

P Vimala of CPM, the councillor of Ward 41, said the fee of Rs 120 per hour per person was not affordable to the youngsters in the city. “The football courts are being used by the youngsters in slums. Handing them over to private contractor will stop them from playing," she said.

Protesting this, several football players turned up at Ripon Building on Tuesday to register their opposition to the move. Several football players also protested in front of Amma Maligai on Kodambakkam Main Road.

"Handing over football courts to private parties will prevent the children and youth from deprived communities of Vyasarpadi, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Chetpet, and KP Park TNUHDB from accessing the turf because they will not be able to afford Rs 120 per hour. This move destroys the dreams of young footballers from less privileged families. We request Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to intervene and save these grounds from being privatised," said Joel Shelton, a social activist.