Can Cross Maidan be used for non-sport event: HC seeks to know

The Bombay High Court today sought to know if the Cross Maidan ground in south Mumbai can be used for any purpose other than sports.
The query was posed by a division bench of Justices A S Oka and P N Deshmukh while hearing a petition filed by Kala Ghoda Association and the Organisation for Verdant Ambiance and Land (OVAL), who organise the annual Kala Ghoda festival.
The petitioners sought permission to hold some cultural events, as part of the festival, at Cross Maidan from February 3 to 11.
As per an earlier directive of the high court, for any event to be held at Cross Maidan, high court's permission is mandatory.

"Since Kala Ghoda area has been declared as silence zone, all music and dance and other cultural events were shifted to Cross Maidan. The organisers have already got approval from the Collector and we have now sought permission from the high court," petitioners' lawyer Birendra Saraf said.
The court posted the hearing for tomorrow, while saying that the petitioners and the respondents (civic authorities) will have to state whether Cross Maidan can be used for anything unrelated to sports.