Thane adds pickleball courts under flyover in urban sports push
Thane turned space under the Nitin Company-Cadbury flyover into a public pickleball hub, signaling a city model that could widen access beyond private clubs.
A stretch under the Nitin Company-Cadbury flyover is now being used for more than traffic overhead. The Thane Municipal Corporation has developed a synthetic turf sports facility on the under-flyover land between Nitin Company and Cadbury Junction, adding pickleball alongside badminton, volleyball and a dedicated skating area in one of the city’s most space-starved corridors.
The project matters because it pushes pickleball into public infrastructure, not private club life. In a city where open grounds are scarce in crowded neighborhoods, the new arena gives the sport a visible, low-barrier entry point that can reach students, families and casual players who may never join an exclusive facility. The Thane Pickleball Association has already argued that accessible infrastructure can encourage students to pursue the sport professionally, a reminder that the next generation of players often starts with proximity, not prestige.
Thane has done this before. In 2017, the same Cadbury-Nitin flyover area was transformed from a neglected, poorly lit space used for garbage cans and two-wheelers into a recreation zone with a walkway, garden, children’s play area, open gym and public toilets. That earlier project was partly funded by CSR contributions of Rs 25 lakh, after the land was handed over from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority to the civic body for public use. The new sports complex builds on that precedent, showing how under-flyover spaces can be reclaimed instead of left idle.
The latest arena also follows a larger civic push. A 2025 plan put the under-Cadbury Junction sports arena at about Rs 50 lakh and described it as a pilot for similar developments under other flyovers in Thane. That plan called for mini tennis and badminton courts, LED lighting, fencing and seating, all aimed at addressing the shortage of open grounds and playgrounds. The message is clear: the city is treating leftover infrastructure as playable land.
The timing is notable for pickleball itself. The Indian Pickleball Association says it is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as the national governing body, and reports in 2025 and 2026 say the government recognized the IPA as a National Sports Federation in April 2025. In April 2026, Thane East also saw its first major public pickleball court inaugurated by MLA Sanjay Kelkar and MLC Niranjan Davkhare. Taken together, those moves suggest Thane is no longer treating pickleball as a niche amenity. It is laying down a public pathway for the sport, one underpass at a time.
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