Kamathipura Body Opposes BMC Plan to Convert Alexandra Cinema Plot
The Kamathipura Vikas Samiti has formally submitted strong objections against a proposal by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to change the land-use reservation of the defunct Alexandra Cinema plot in Nagpada. In a written representation sent to the Municipal Commissioner on August 11, 2026, the local committee urged the civic administration to maintain the plot’s current designation for entertainment facilities rather than allowing it to be converted for residential construction.
The 1,005-square-metre property, located at the junction of Versova Street and Jehangir Boman Behram Road in Nagpada, is currently reserved strictly for a cinema and entertainment facility. The proposal to change its land-use status to residential came following a recommendation from the state Urban Development Department (UDD). The matter is scheduled to be tabled before the BMC Improvement Committee for approval on Wednesday.
In the letter signed by committee president Dhonthul Balnarsaya, the Kamathipura Vikas Samiti pointed out that the state government, through the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), is currently executing a large-scale cluster redevelopment project covering nearly 34 acres across the Kamathipura neighborhood.
The committee emphasized that retaining the Alexandra Cinema plot for public entertainment and recreation is critical for the surrounding community. According to the samiti, converting the plot to residential use would deprive residents of a vital recreational and entertainment space once the extensive 34-acre cluster redevelopment project is fully finished.
The action by the committee followed a report detailing the proposed reservation change. In response, the samiti appealed directly to the Municipal Commissioner to intervene and preserve the land's public utility status.
Alexandra Cinema permanently shut down operations in 2007 and has remained completely unused for nearly two decades. In its operational years, the venue was well-known among locals for screening Hollywood action films and English movie reruns.
The theatre was one of Mumbai's traditional single-screen venues that ultimately struggled to remain financially viable. It faced severe operational hurdles brought on by changing audience viewing preferences, mounting economic pressures, and the rapid expansion of modern multiplex cinema chains across the city. The committee maintains that despite its long closure, the land itself must remain dedicated to public recreational purposes for Nagpada and Kamathipura residents.
