With the country already going into the unlock mode, the Maidan clubs and tents are not to be left behind.

So on Monday, the Mohammedan Sporting Club opened its doors almost after two-and-a-half months of pandemic-induced lockdown. Mohun Bagan will throw open its gates for members and supporters from June 15. Several other clubs are also planning to reopen their tents soon, though East Bengal are yet to take the call on the matter.

The Indian Football Association (IFA) opened its office on Monday, while the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) are preparing guidelines before the reopening the

“We opened our club tent on Monday after a long time. Cyclone Amphan has inflicted some damage on the tent. So we need to do some repair work as well,” Mohammedan Sporting general secretary Mohammed Qamaruddin said.

Bagan’s Debasish Dutta, the finance secretary, said: “Our club will reopen on June 15. We will follow all the government guidelines.”

East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar said: “We would open our administrative office soon but haven’t decided on when the members and supporters would be allowed.”

Clubs like George Telegraph and Rajasthan are yet to finalise the dates of reopening their tents. “The local football season will not begin before October, so we are in no hurry. Safety for players and others who are involved with the club’s day-to-day running is our priority,” George Telegraph’s joint secretary Anirban Dutta said.

Avishek Dalmiya, who represents the Rajasthan club in the CAB, said: “The club officials have decided to organise a video conference to decide on the way forward.”

Avishek is the current president of the CAB.

As far as the CAB is concerned, though its officials have held important meetings in the association premises last week, resuming full-fledged functioning of its office is still at the discussion stage. “We are working to prepare guidelines which would ensure the safety of the people who would come to the CAB, and only after that we will finalise the date to reopen the gates,” Avishek said.

The IFA is keen to organise all its football leagues. “We first sanitised our office before resuming work from Monday. I didn’t go today, but I will be in office from Tuesday onwards,” IFA secretary Joydeep Mukherjee said.