Citizens and Aaditya Thackeray Protest BMC Open Space Reservation Changes

Hundreds of footballers, coaches, parents, students, and citizens dressed in black and held up red cards at Neville D’Souza Football Ground in Bandra West on Sunday evening to oppose the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's recent change in the reservation of the open space from a playground to an exhibition-and-convention centre.

The peaceful protest, organised under the banner 'Tiranga Andolan', was led by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who also serves as president of the Mumbai Football Association. Participants raised concerns over changes to more than a dozen open spaces across Mumbai over the past four years, including an open space in Pali Hill and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krida Sankul in Andheri.

Aaditya Thackeray stated that the issue was not a conflict between the government and the opposition, but a broader campaign to protect Mumbai's recreation areas. He noted that over 15 open spaces had seen their reservations altered for residential or commercial purposes. Displaying slides of affected areas across the city, he said that when the Development Plan 2034 was released, former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had instructed corporators that reservations for playgrounds and open spaces should remain protected.

Versova MLA Haroon Khan joined Thackeray on stage and raised concerns about the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krida Sankul in Andheri, which features facilities for cricket, cycling, walking, tennis, and an open gym. Khan alleged that the Andheri sports facility was being handed over to a private trust and urged the public and youth to voice their opposition until the grounds remain in public hands.

Nigel D’Souza, son of the late footballer Neville D’Souza after whom the Bandra ground is named, expressed gratitude to the legal team, students, and citizens supporting the campaign to save the playground.

Earlier on Sunday, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena functionary Rahool N Kanal questioned Aaditya Thackeray on social media regarding past turf allotments, waste clearance expenditures, and boundary wall construction at the ground, asserting that the plot belongs to every resident of Mumbai rather than any single claiming entity.