Junior Thackeray opposes Raut on use of stadiums as COVID-19 facilities

Maharashtra Cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray opposed Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's suggestion of taking over some premises of the Wankhede stadium for converting it into a COVID-19 quarantine facility, saying grounds of stadiums have mud base and they won't be usable during monsoons.

Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday supported the Mumbai civic body's move to take over some premises of the Wankhede stadium here for converting it into a COVID-19 quarantine facility, and suggested making a similar facility at the Brabourne stadium.

However, Maharashtra Cabinet minister and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray opposed Raut's suggestion, saying grounds of stadiums have mud base and they won't be usable during monsoons.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday directed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to hand over some premises of the Wankhede Stadium in south Mumbai to the civic body to create facilities in connection with the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Welcoming the BMC's move, Raut in a Twitter post on Sunday said, All resources need to be utilised in Mumbai to fight against #Covid_19India. Good call on taking up Wankhede stadium to develop a quarantine facility. Suggestion to @OfficeofUT-why not take over Brabourne stadium as well? It has much-needed facilities @PawarSpeaks @AUThackeray."

• All resources need to be utilized in Mumbai to fight against #Covid_19india.good call on taking up wankhede stadium to develop a quarantine facility..suggestion to @OfficeofUT - why not take over Brabourne stadium as well?It has much needed facilities @PawarSpeaks @AUThackeray

  — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) May 17, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  All resources need to be utilized in Mumbai to fight against #Covid_19india.good call on taking up wankhede stadium to develop a quarantine facility..suggestion to @OfficeofUT - why not take over Brabourne stadium as well?It has much needed facilities @PawarSpeaks @AUThackeray

  — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) May 17, 2020

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  All resources need to be utilized in Mumbai to fight against #Covid_19india.good call on taking up wankhede stadium to develop a quarantine facility..suggestion to @OfficeofUT - why not take over Brabourne stadium as well?It has much needed facilities @PawarSpeaks @AUThackeray

  — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) May 17, 2020

However, Raut's suggestion was turned down by Aadtiya Thackeray.

Sanjay ji, we cant take the grounds of the stadiums or playgrounds because they have a mud base and they won't be usable during monsoons. An open space with a solid/ concrete base is usable and its being done already," tweeted the minister, who is son of Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

"Had it not been for our monsoons, it is very usable," he added.

PTI