MUMBAI: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar Thursday inaugurated a refurbished children’s park in suburban Bandra here.
The park has been refurbished using MPLAD funds allotted to Tendulkar during his stint as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.
“I would like to say that I am very happy. Earlier, this was a playground, which later became a dumping ground. We have photographs of this ground earlier and now what we have done. I have been saying that there are places for children to play and those should be retained, conserved and maintained,” Tendulkar told reporters on the occasion.
Tendulkar also met a few of his old friends and inspected the work done inside. It was a sort of homecoming for the veteran cricketer, who had spent his childhood in the vicinity of the park – at ‘Sahityasahawas’.
“This is a start. I also started in this (similar) manner. Seeing the excitement in children I am very happy. I hope that the children will take care of the park. First innings I have played, now they (the kids) have to play the second innings. Take benefit of it,” he added.
The total funds disbursed for the refurbishment were Rs 22.52 lakh, a press release said.
Officials of the state Public Works Department (PWD) were also present on the occasion. PTI
