By Monojit Mandal
SHILLONG: May provides a rare window for the Meghalaya Cricket Association to complete the major development schemes it had in plan all this time with initial survey work already done.
With the green light from the Lodha committee and recommendation of ‘one state one vote’ policy, The Meghalaya Cricket Association is now one among a dozen BCCI member states to adopt the constitution to attain full member status.
“It had been hard work, a lot of efforts went in to finally become Lodha complaint and implement all our plans regarding the development of the game in this region. But I’m happy that we finally made it when it comes to reforms,” MCA Honorary Secretary Naba Bhattacharjee said in an exclusive interview with The Shillong Times.
The majority of the projects were proposed during Bhattacharjee’s tenure as member of coordination, BCCI NADP committee.
Since MCA is looking up at a humongous transition, it will be done in various phases said Bhattacharjee. In the initial phase, the development works include re-laying the fields and wickets at par with best of national standards at the MCA Cricket Ground in Shillong and Allotgre in Tura.
The entire turf surface will be stripped and re-levelled. Both the grounds will be worked on simultaneously.7-8 turf wickets will be made available with full drainage system of modern standardsalong with one synthetic turf in MCA ground Shillong.
Moreover, one State-of-the-art dressing room will be placed at MCA cricket ground in Shillong, all of which will be completed before the start of the next season. The work will be performed by agencies expert empanelled with the BCCI, as BCCI has assigned the work to its empanelled experts in developing cricket grounds all over the country. In Shillong ground, the entire grass will be removed and will be replaced with imported Rye and Bentgrass from England which are suitable for extreme cold climate.
All the required machineries have been sent by BCCI as per MCA requirements. Construction work on State-of-art Indoor cricket facilitywill start soon and is currently under re-bidding process.
In the second phase of the development work, there has been a plan for the construction of gallery for spectators at the MCA ground Shillong and the efforts are being made to find a suitable position for the set up. However, the peak of all will be the construction of a brand new cricket stadium in Ri-Bhoi area, with an expected seating capacity of around 20,000 spectators.
“We have been in constant look out for the ground and a suitable plot for the construction of a new stadium. We have zeroed in on certain areas and much preferred place will be around Ri-Bhoi because of its logistical proximity.” Said Bahattacharjee.
Meanwhile, the MCA has been requested to help other partially-compliantNE states to become fully compliant with the Lodha committee recommendations. MCA is also working on to encourage more people to take up this sport including girls.
“Girls are more enterprising and majority of women team members in all age category come from Mawkyrwat, Nongstoin, Baghmara, Resubelpaa, Mairang, Sohra, Tura, Mawsynram,” added Bhattacharje.
Bhattacgarjee also said that, emphasis will be on the districts outside Shillong to harness the indigenous talent which is in plenty.