Aaditya opposes Raut on use of stadiums as COVID-19 facilities

Mumbai, May 17 () Senior Shiv Sena leader SanjayRaut on Sunday supported the Mumbai civic body's move to takeover some premises of the Wankhede stadium here for convertingit into a COVID-19 quarantine facility, and suggested making asimilar facility at the Brabourne stadium.

However, Maharashtra Cabinet minister and Shiv Senaleader Aaditya Thackeray opposed Raut's suggestion, sayinggrounds of stadiums have mud base and they won't be usableduring monsoons.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Fridaydirected the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to hand oversome premises of the Wankhede Stadium in south Mumbai to thecivic body to create facilities in connection with the novelcoronavirus outbreak.

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

However, Raut's suggestion was turned down by AadtiyaThackeray.

Sanjay ji, we cant take the grounds of the stadiumsor playgrounds because they have a mud base and they wont beusable during monsoons. An open space with a solid/ concretebase is usable and its being done already," tweeted theminister, who is son of Chief Minister and Shiv Sena presidentUddhav Thackeray.

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