BMC Approves ₹20 Crore Payout to Film City for GMLR Tunnel Disruption
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Standing Committee on October 3, 2026, approved a payment of ₹20 crore to the Film City Corporation for land disruption in Goregaon East caused by the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) twin-tunnel project. The compensation covers the temporary usage of key shooting grounds through March 2029.
A 1.6-kilometre stretch of the twin-tunnel alignment passes directly through Film City premises. To accommodate the infrastructure work, the civic body is using a 1,600-metre-long, 10-metre-wide strip within the studio complex and has temporarily taken over open areas, including Josh Maidan and Joker Maidan, to store tunnel boring machine components and excavated material.
The Film City Corporation had projected potential revenue losses of up to ₹174.12 crore due to disrupted production schedules and displaced sets. The approved ₹20 crore payout is intended to offset the loss of rental income generated from film and television shoots during the construction period.
The proposal encountered opposition from corporators across party lines during the Standing Committee meeting. Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Yamini Jadhav questioned why the civic body should bear compensation costs for a public project designed to improve overall Mumbai connectivity. Nationalist Congress Party corporator Saeeda Khan noted that Film City land was originally allotted by the state government at subsidised rates, asking why the civic administration should now pay rent for it. Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi also raised similar objections.
Responding to the concerns, Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakane informed the committee that the ₹20 crore is compensation for operational losses rather than an income-generating rental payment. Dhakane stated that Film City's primary revenue stems from shooting rentals, which have been directly hit by the displacement of grounds and sets. He added that regional-language films, particularly Marathi cinema, depend heavily on Film City's facilities. Following his explanation, the committee cleared the proposal.
The GMLR project entails the construction of two three-lane tunnels running beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park, linking Film City in Goregaon East directly to Amar Nagar in Mulund West.
