Bandra West Petition to Save Football Ground Surpasses 13,000 Signatures
On July 1, 2026, an online campaign protesting the commercial development of a local football playground in Bandra West, Mumbai, gained significant momentum as its petition crossed 13,000 signatures. Local residents and activists are urging the Maharashtra government to preserve the open playground, located at Carter Road near Lilavati Hospital and next to the Bombay Art Society, rather than allowing a convention centre or other commercial projects to be built on the site.
The petition, titled 'Bandra needs Playgrounds, not Convention Centres', was initiated by social activist Furkan Shaikh on the Change.org platform. The campaign has been garnering signatures at a steady clip, reflecting deep community concern over the future of the local sports turf. By July 1, 2026, the online petition had officially surpassed the 13,000-signature mark and continues to grow.
The protest comes at a time when global football fever is high, with the FIFA round of 32 matches currently in progress. Locally in Mumbai, a different kind of football turf war is sizzling. The fight to keep the Bandra West playground as an active football ground has intensified, drawing widespread support from the neighbourhood.
Residents and activists, including Swapna Mhatre at Carter Road, are actively participating in the efforts to protect the open space from commercialization. The community is united in its demand that the Maharashtra government intervene to save the playground.
The primary goal of Furkan Shaikh's petition is to mount pressure on the state government. Supporters of the campaign argue that preserving open playgrounds is essential for the community's well-being, contrasting the urgent need for local recreational spaces with the proposed commercial developments.
With more than 13,000 citizens now backing the cause, organizers hope the Maharashtra government will heed the public appeal and halt any plans for a convention centre or commercial development on the disputed Bandra West football ground.
