Plea in HC not to use old club house of Feroz Shah Kotla stadium for coming matches

A plea has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to cricketing body DDCA not to use the R P Mehra block of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in the upcoming matches, including IPL, scheduled there till it is certified as structurally stable.

The application came up for hearing before Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who said he will hear it along with the main petition which claims that the R P Mehra block, also known as the old club house, was unauthorised as it was built without any sanctioned plan.

The application has been moved by one of the petitioners, Dinesh Saini, who has claimed that the block was a threat to public safety and human life and liable to be demolished. The other petitioner was N C Bakshi, who died on January 23.

Both matters are listed for hearing on April 25.

In the application filed through advocate Tanuj Khurana, Saini has said a One Day International between India and Australia is scheduled to be played at the stadium on March 13 and home matches of Delhi Daredevils will be played at the Feroz Shah Kotla grounds once the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) commences from March 23.

He has contended that there is a possibility that the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), which owns the stadium, may use the R P Mehra block to seat spectators without obtaining any permission from the high court.

His application claims that presently the block is standing without any sanction plan and therefore, no temporary occupation certificate or no objection certificate or municipal clearance can be granted to use the old club house.

Saini has alleged that the block is a fire hazard, and if used could lead to an incident similar to the recent Karol Bagh hotel fire tragedy, which claimed 17 lives.

He has sought an order to seal the R P Mehra block till the main petition is decided.