Public stadiums, private profits: Sports now costly at LDA centres

Residents voice concern as affordable community sports facilities in Lucknow turn expensive after being handed to private operators

- Animesh Mishra

LUCKNOW: Cricket pitches that once echoed with the cheers of neighbourhood children, badminton courts where enthusiasts perfected their game, and swimming pools that offered relief in summer now carry a different mood, not due to lack of interest, but because access is becoming harder to afford.

Community sports facilities built by the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) are witnessing a sharp rise in usage fees after being handed over to private operators. Once available at modest charges as part of LDA's housing schemes, these centres, spread across the city, are increasingly operating on commercial terms, putting pressure on families that once relied on them for affordable recreation and training.