DDCA given 20 days time to get Kotla ready for World T20

- The Feroz Shah Kotla grounds in New Delhi is scheduled to host four matches of the World T20, which also includes a semi-final on March 30.

The Delhi & Districts Cricket Association on Tuesday withdrew its plea from Delhi high court seeking occupancy certificate from South Delhi Municipal Corporation to hold World T20 matches at the
Feroz Shah Kotla grounds in New Delhi after the SDMC said it wants the cricket body to pay Rs. 50 lakh and complete all formalities in 20 days.

DDCA made its request to withdraw the application before a bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vibhu Bakhru, which was accepted.

"The petitioner (DDCA) seeks to withdraw its application. The request is allowed," the bench said.

Kotla is scheduled to host four matches of the World T20, which also includes a semi-final on March 30.

During the hearing, the SDMC, as directed by the high court on Monday, informed it that it has passed a resolution by which DDCA has to pay Rs. 50 lakh as security amount and comply with all the norms within 20 days.

Advocate Gaurang Kanth, appearing for SDMC, submitted that if DDCA will not complete its work within 20 days, then its security of Rs. 50 lakh will stand forfeited.

The bench then asked senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for DDCA, whether the cricketing body can comply with the resolution and complete the work in 20 days. It also asked if DDCA can give an undertaking in pursuance to the resolution.

To this, the DDCA counsel assured the bench, "Our intent  is very clear and we will complete the work within 20 days."

The bench then said, if the work is not completed, then no occupancy certificate will be given to it and "we don't want any further litigation. Therefore, you have to comply within 20 days, otherwise no matches will be allowed."

"After 20 days, you (DDCA) should not come and say they (SDMC) are illegally withholding the occupancy certificate or say you need any modification in the earlier order. It should not happen," the bench said.

It further said that DDCA needed to complete the remaining 60 percent work and no match can be held under "unsafe circumstances".

The bench asked why the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should not be kept in the loop in the entire matter as tickets for the matches have to be sold and if the DDCA does not complete the work, who will take responsibility.

"BCCI will have to take the risk whatever is going on in the matter. Involve BCCI in this and send it the resolution  and the order of the court," the bench said, with the DDCA counsel saying they have to seek instructions regarding the involvement of BCCI in the matter.

The court gave them 45 minutes and when the hearing resumed, the counsel informed that DDCA wished to withdraw the application in the wake of the SDMC resolution, which was allowed by the court.

The high court had on Monday asked the SDMC whether it can grant the final certificate based on an undertaking by DDCA that it will ensure full compliance in three weeks.

The bench had said that "ultimately it is the safety of the stadium which will host the match, that is paramount".

The court also observed that a conditional final occupancy certificate cannot be granted and said it does not want anyone to say later that something untoward happened at the ground due to lack of compliance or some minor deviation.

The SDMC had told the court that an occupancy certificate cannot be granted on the basis of an undertaking.

It had said DDCA had given them the plans on February 5 and SDMC had inspected the stadium on February 6 when they found that only 40 per cent of the work of correcting deviations in the structure had been carried out.

DDCA had sought directions to the SDMC to issue it an occupancy certificate to hold matches of upcoming T20 World Cup at Ferozshah Kotla stadium in March this year.

It had said it has been granted a NOC from L&DO for getting occupancy or completion certificate from SDMC.

The high court on November 18, 2015, while allowing DDCA to hold the India-South Africa Test match at Kotla, had directed it to obtain all clearances and NOCs from local authorities, including L&DO, by March 31 this year.

DDCA had also said that work was in progress regarding the corrections in deviations in the present structure of the stadium as pointed out by SDMC, and everything would be completed within three weeks.

The application by DDCA had been filed in the main issue which dates back to 2011 when DDCA filed a plea against a property tax assessment made by the SDMC with regard to the stadium. The matter is still pending in the high court.