BMC House clears change in reservation of Neville D’Souza Football Ground

The proposal seeks to amend the Development Plan (DP) 2034 by replacing the existing playground reservation and existing playground facility on an 8,450-sq-m MHADA-owned plot at Bandra Reclamation with a reservation for an Exhibition Centre (RSA 5.1)

MUMBAI: The controversial proposal to alter the reservation of the Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation from a playground to an exhibition centre was cleared by the BMC general body on Tuesday night despite strong opposition from corporators and football stakeholders.

BMC House clears change in reservation of Neville D’Souza Football Ground

The proposal seeks to amend the Development Plan (DP) 2034 by replacing the existing playground reservation and existing playground facility on an 8,450-sq-m MHADA-owned plot at Bandra Reclamation with a reservation for an Exhibition Centre (RSA 5.1). The proposal had earlier been cleared by the BMC Improvements Committee in June.

The plot in question was originally reserved as a space for a convention and trade fair centre in 1983. Fifteen years ago, MHADA leased it out “temporarily” to the football club, and the BMC marked it as a recreation ground on its Mumbai DP 2034 since a football ground was in existence there. MHADA now wants it back for a source of steady income.

Local corporator Rehbar Khan opposed the proposal, questioning why the football ground was being targeted when three alternative plots could have been used for a convention centre. The move has also faced opposition from the Mumbai Football Association (MFA), which approached the Bombay high court on August 7, alleging that the proposed change was “arbitrary and illegal” and threatened one of the city’s key football venues. On August 10, BMC had told the court that it would not take any action on the proposed change in reservation until at least the next hearing, scheduled for August 22.

The issue triggered a sharp confrontation in the civic house. Corporator Ashraf Azmi said that the matter was already in court while the Opposition was up in arms against the move. Despite this, the proposal was cleared. Mayor Ritu Tawde said it had already been cleared by the Improvements Committee before being brought before the general body.

With the general body now approving the proposal, the BMC will initiate the statutory process under Section 37 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act to amend the Development Plan. The process will involve inviting public suggestions and objections before the proposal is forwarded to the state urban development department for final approval.