The topography of the heart of Hyderabad is set to undergo yet another massive change. The State government has changed the land use of the 14-acre NTR stadium near Indira Park from open land to that of public and semi-public use.

The GO was issued on January 12, exactly on the day of notification for GHMC elections. This clears the way for building of the Telangana Kala Bharati touted to be a cultural centre for the city. Designed by Hafeez Contractor, the building would look like a clone of the White House, but without the setback, it would look like the Meridian wedding hall in Toli Chowki.

The NTR stadium is not just another piece of land but one rich with history and nostalgia as generations of youngsters have played in the open ground that sees dozens of games being played simultaneously. Dozens of young men who play cricket and pursue other outdoor sports at the ground have now written a letter to the Chief Minister asking him to drop the proposal.

“There is no alternative playground for us to play on. Many of us have come all the way from LB Nagar, Falaknuma and other areas every Sunday and on holidays and enjoy meeting with friends and competing with other teams. Our senior friends have been playing here and many of them have become sportsmen because of such a facility,” says the letter written by the youngsters and signed by 79 of them.