Dunk a basketball at this newly inaugurated court under Sanpada flyover

A bright weekend morning calls for a good game of basketball But where does one find the space in our concrete jungle wherein housing societies stand cheek by jowl alongside busy marketplaces The same dilemma often crops up in the mind of 20yearold Shashank Chakane a basketball enthusiast from Khandeshwar who was unhappy about the lack of courts in his part of the world The recent inauguration of a basketball court under the Sanpada flyover bridge in Sector 15 by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation NMMC gave him enough reason to try out the new spaceA few minutes past 1030 am on a Sunday Chakane with his two friends reached the area that is located barely 10 minutes away from Sanpada railway station ldquoIt was a quiet space and we spotted many sports enthusiasts in the space Some were enjoying a game of box cricket while a few kids were skating at the skating rinkrdquo he says The walls donned paintings of basketball icons like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant along with other brightlycoloured murals that gave the space a welcoming vibrant look Quickly changing into their jerseys the three boys began a game of basketball While they were happy with the wide space each court was given what surprised them even more was the accuracy of the court markings ldquoThe basketball ring is also perfect it is exactly the type pressure release basketball ring that is used in professional matches but a better quality one would be useful as this one restricts some types of shotsrdquo he notes The place can be accessed even at night and one can use the floodlights attached to the ceiling after sundownBadminton courtThe spanking new courts are clean and wellmaintained although the boys wished there were changing rooms lockers or washrooms nearby ldquoI checked around but there are no public washrooms in the vicinity Even a mobile washroom nearby would help so that people can practise for longer durationsrdquo Chakane suggests He adds that although he tried a few courts around Navi Mumbai they were not in good conditionCricket enthusiasts enjoy a game of box cricket at the space PicsSameer MarkandeldquoThis new court is guarded with net boundaries and gates on all sides hence safety and protection from vandalism is ensured Since it is a free space you can spot different age groups enjoying this facility As it is under a bridge one does not have to worry about rain or heat We played for hours despite the scorching heatrdquo he saysSkating rink Pic courtesyNMMCWe hope this sporting arena remains in good shape and continues to offer a muchneeded option for spacestarved sporting buffs in the area If the local municipal authorities can introduce a few additions and facilities it could go a long way to offer an even better experienceAt Under Sanpada Flyover Bridge Sector 15 Navi MumbaiTime Open all dayFor the greater goodSanjay Desai city engineer NMMC tells us that the idea of building a sports arena under the flyover bridge emerged after the corporation realised the lack of such spaces ldquoThe NMMC has identified three to four bridges in Navi Mumbai that are situated in between housing societies where playgrounds are not easily accessible to local residents Hence we are planning to develop such areas into sports courts We started with Sanpada and intend to develop one in Mahape and a third under Seawoods LampT Bridge I stay close to this flyover bridge Previously all I saw below was dust trash and parked cars This collective effort by NMMC to develop this area not only in beautifies the city but also utilises empty spaces for better userdquo he explains