Gurgaon: A portion of the roof over the cricket pavilion at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Sector 38 collapsed around 7.15am on Sunday, raising concerns over the safety of players and the maintenance of the nearly two-decade-old structure. No injuries were reported.The collapse occurred at a time when a large number of players had arrived for morning practice — cricket players around the pavilion, and others engaged in yoga on the premises. No one was present directly below the portion that collapsed, as rainwater and the resulting mud and debris had made the area unsuitable for practice, averting what could have been a major accident.People associated with the stadium said the pavilion is around 20 years old and that several portions of the building have deteriorated over the years, with waterlogging and repeated monsoon rainfall adding to the damage.The incident has assumed significance as the same pavilion, and the area beneath its roof, was used during the Independence Day programme on Aug 15, when political leaders, senior officials and other guests were present. The stadium also hosts several major district-level events, prompting questions over what the consequences could have been had the structure given way during a large public gathering.The area beneath the pavilion is normally used by players during practice, particularly in the morning when the number of athletes at the stadium is high.A spokesperson for Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said the collapsed roof portion was part of an old structure and had been damaged during the monsoon. “GMDA has taken cognisance of the matter and necessary repair work will be carried out to fix the damaged portion,” the spokesperson said.
