The lush greens of Keenan Stadium, that witnessed some of the best moments of Indian cricket, now seems to be only a part of the annals of history. Moreover, fear of chunks of concrete falling apart has added to the woes of families living under the galleries of the landmark stadium in Bistupur.
According to information all the seven galleries surrounding the stadium have begun to crumble and the portion on its northern side has already started to come down.
Concerned over the situation, Tata Steel sports department has issued vacate orders to the families of groundmen employed with the Jamshedpur Sporting Association (JSA) and Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA).
Four out of six families have already shifted base, while two will soon bid adieu to the stadium, their home for decades.
The stadium named after John lawrence Keenan, a former general manager of Tata Steel is lying in ruins with iron rods coming out of concrete and plasters peeling off paints.
Over a year back the Tata sports department, which maintains the stadium, had declared the galleries as unsafe and now its condition has only worsened.
“Yes we have asked families living under the galleries to vacate the rooms. Four families have shifted, while two would soon follow suit. It has become risky to be inside the rooms any further,” said an official of the department.
“Moreover, the rods holding the concrete of the ceiling have become very weak. Recently a beam also fell and broke. Rains and subsequent rust have weakened the rods,” he noted.
According to him, they would allow the two remaining families to keep their household items at the nearby JRD Tata Sports Complex till their shifting.
Basubeb, a JSCA groundsman posted in Ranchi said he would be shifting to Adityapur soon as he and his family feel very unsafe. “We are concerned over the situation. My wife, a son and two daughters stay at the Keenan Stadium. I need to vacate soon” he noted.
Once, the ambassador of the sports especially cricket in Jharkhand, Keenan Stadium is still looking for a facelift. “The stadium enjoyed a historic legacy but at present it requires a lot of up-gradation until the custodians (Tata Steel) of the stadium restore life into it, international matches couldn’t be played there,” said an official of JSCA.
Built in 1939 and named after Sir John lawrence Keenan, then general managers of Tata Steel, the stadium was a prime cricket venue in eastern India after Calcutta’s fabled Eden Gardens. But the last ODI was held more than six years ago, on April 12, 2006, between India and England, as part of the TVS Cup series. Unfortunately, England had won the match. It has hosted 10 international matches, first being the India-West Indies match in December 7, 1983, so far. Barring, one match (against South Africa in March 2000), India has never won a match here. In fact, from 1983 to 2006, of all the 10 big-ticket ODI matches held at Keenan, India won only one. Pakistan, England, West Indies, New Zealand, all romped home with victories.
But now, the stadium is a shadow of its former self, with rubble falling in a steady drizzle from the ceiling of its Naoroji Pavilion enclosure. Pillars have weakened. Even galleries ringing the ground are deemed unsafe to bear the load of spectators.
