Government has demanded Rs 120 cr for Wankhede stadium lease renewal

The Maharashtra government has demanded Rs 120 crore from the Wankhede Stadium here for the renewal of its lease, the state Assembly was informed Friday. The stadium is owned by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). It also houses the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil, in a written reply, said the Mumbai city district collector sent a noticeto the MCA about the dues on April 16 this year. His reply came in response to the question how the government proposed to recover Rs 120 crore from the stadium.

The earlier lease agreement expired on February 5, 2018, and the MCA had written to the chief minister seeking its renewal in 2017 itself, the reply said. The stadium, located off the Arabian Sea, has hosted several memorable matches in the past including the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final in which India emerged victorious.

Meanwhile, Wankhede Stadium is the home ground of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians and over the years they have had all the success while playing at the venue. Interestingly, India won the World Cup title against Sri Lanka in 2011 at this venue. To sum it up, the ground has been special to all Indian cricket fans. 

(With Inputs: PTI)