BMC Approves Conversion of Bandra Reclamation Football Ground for Exhibition Centre

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s General Body approved a controversial proposal on Tuesday to change the reservation of the Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation into an exhibition centre, overriding objections from local sports groups, residents, and opposition corporators.

The decision amends the Development Plan (DP) 2034 to replace the existing playground reservation on the 8,450-square-metre MHADA plot with an exhibition centre. The move directly impacts one of Mumbai’s few remaining public sports spaces.

The approval in the BMC General Body's special meeting came despite an ongoing legal challenge before the Bombay High Court. The Mumbai Football Association (MFA) has petitioned the court against the proposed conversion, arguing that the decision was advanced without granting the association an opportunity to be heard. The High Court had directed the BMC to submit its affidavit by August 20, with the substantive challenge scheduled for a hearing on August 24. However, because no judicial stay had been granted, the civic administration moved forward with the vote.

The proposal had earlier cleared the BMC Improvement Committee before reaching the General Body for final clearance. During the meeting, Congress corporators strongly objected to the plan. Mayor Ritu Tawde ruled that the matter had already undergone deliberation within the Improvement Committee and required no further discussion, proceeding directly to put the proposal to a vote and securing its passage.

Opposition leaders highlighted the potential consequences for grassroots football in the city. Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi described the Neville D’Souza Football Ground as a vital pillar of Mumbai’s footballing ecosystem. Azmi stated that approximately 400 youth clubs and 300 senior clubs utilize the Bandra facility annually, providing coaching and match opportunities to between 8,000 and 10,000 young footballers.

Calling the ground a symbol of the city's sporting legacy and a critical foundation for emerging talent, Azmi appealed to the civic body to scrap the conversion plan and retain the land strictly as a public sports facility. Despite these appeals, the administration concluded the voting process to approve the reservation change.