Mumbai: CCI club partially shuttered as staff test COVID-19 positive

While the CCI’s Brabourne Stadium ground is being used by IPL teams for practice sessions, the IPL teams are in a bio-bubble and do not come in contact with any of the CCI staff. Pic/Getty Images

The Cricket Club of India (CCI) at Churchgate has partially shuttered after a few staffers tested positive for COVID-19 recently. The CCI secretary, NK Jha, in his communication to members dated April 2, stated that a few staffers had tested positive after the club began RT-PCR testing in a phased manner.

Jha's notice, broken into five points, added, that the CCI store within the premises will operate, but with strict protocol and only five members can be at the shop, at any particular time. It also said that the club's walking facilities remain open for members in the morning and evening. The notice did not specify when the club would be back to fully operational.

Premal Udani, CCI president said, "The club is not in lockdown. We have closed our restaurants and sports facilities as a precautionary measure. The facilities are being sanitised. Certain staffers are still being tested."

Udani, who won a second term as CCI president in January this year, dismissed as "rumours" messages circulating on the club WhatsApp grapevine stating, "at least 20 staffers have tested positive and the BMC is at the club currently". He said, "I can confirm that six staffers have tested positive as of Saturday afternoon. Tests are being run and, as you know, results are taking a little while because of the large number of testing being done across the city. There is no definite time frame as to when the club will open fully, I cannot cite a date yet."

The CCI follows another upscale SoBo club, The Bombay Gymkhana, that shuttered for at least 10 days recently, after staffers tested positive. The CCI's Brabourne Stadium ground is being used by a number of Indian Premier League (IPL) teams for practice sessions with the IPL beginning on April 9. The IPL teams are in a bio-bubble though, and do not come in contact with any CCI staff or members.

Six
Number of CCI staffers who tested positive for COVID-19