Bombay HC Halts BMC Move to Turn Bandra Football Ground into Exhibition Centre
The Bombay High Court on Thursday expressed strong displeasure with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for approving a proposal to convert the Neville D'Souza football ground at Bandra Reclamation into an exhibition centre, ordering the civic body to halt all further steps on the decision.
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad took serious exception to the civic body's action, noting that the BMC General Body cleared the proposal on Tuesday despite an earlier oral assurance to the court that status quo would be maintained.
The court observed that the majesty of law is at stake when civic officials provide oral assurances to the judiciary and then proceed with contrary decisions. The judges ordered the civic administration to refrain from implementing the General Body's decision to alter the reservation of the ground from a playground to an exhibition centre.
The issue arose from a petition filed by the Mumbai Football Association challenging the proposed change. During a previous hearing on August 10, the BMC had sought additional time to submit its affidavit and orally assured the bench that no final decision would be taken in the interim.
When the court questioned the civic body on Thursday regarding how the approval was granted despite the undertaking, senior counsel Girish Godbole, representing the BMC, stated that the municipal commissioner and other relevant officials were unaware of the assurance given to the court.
The bench remarked that such conduct by officials poses a serious issue and questioned where citizens would play outdoor sports if such open spaces are converted. The court emphasized that open spaces must be preserved so future generations do not lose access to outdoor games.
The Mumbai Football Association's plea challenges a November 2025 letter from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority and a May 2026 recommendation by the BMC Improvements Committee that sought to alter the reservation of the 8,450-square-metre plot under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.
According to the petition, the ground named after Indian footballer Neville D'Souza features FIFA-standard artificial turf, has seating capacity for approximately 5,000 spectators, and accommodates over 900 official matches every season. The plea stated that the proposal was cleared without conducting a sports impact assessment, user survey, or feasibility study.
The High Court directed the BMC to file its reply affidavit and scheduled the next hearing for next month.
