Will maintain status quo on Bandra football ground reservation till next hearing: BMC to HC

The BMC’s statement came in response to a petition filed by the MFA on August 7, which alleged that the move was “arbitrary, illegal and threatens one of the city’s key football venues”

MUMBAI: The BMC on Monday told the Bombay high court that it would not take any action on the proposed change in reservation of the Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation at least till the next hearing. MHADA, which leased the football ground to the Mumbai Football Association (MFA) in 2011, now wants it back for its original 1983 reservation, which was for a convention centre and exhibition centre for trade fairs.

Neville D'Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation (Hindustan Times)

The BMC’s statement came in response to a petition filed by the MFA on August 7, which alleged that the move was “arbitrary, illegal and threatens one of the city’s key football venues”. The MFA has sought the quashing of a letter issued by MHADA on November 3, 2025 to restore the original reservation, and a recommendation made by the BMC Improvements Committee in May 2026 to alter the land’s designation under Mumbai’s Revised Development Plan (DP) 2034.

Represented by senior advocate Zal Andhyarujina and counsels Akshay Doctor, Pradeep Mane and Anoj Menon, the MFA told the court that it had maintained and managed the football ground for organised football activities for over 15 years under permissions periodically renewed by MHADA.

The petitioner body said its application seeking continuation of the arrangement, submitted on July 31, 2025, remained pending without a decision and contended that despite being the existing authorised user of the ground, it was neither issued a notice nor given an opportunity to present its case before the proposal to change the reservation was recommended.

The association further told the court that more than 10,000 footballers used the ground and that its conversion would adversely affect “children, youth and women’s football” in Mumbai. It warned that if the proposal was approved by the civic body, any subsequent legal challenge would become ineffective because the sporting infrastructure could be irreversibly damaged.

Among the reliefs sought, the MFA has requested the high court to permanently restrain the authorities from changing the reservation of the approximately 11,121-square-metre plot for any non-sporting purpose.

It has also sought directions to MHADA and the BMC to produce the complete records relating to the proposed modification, including the MHADA communication, the municipal commissioner’s note dated April 24, 2026, agenda papers, committee reports, technical studies, file jottings and correspondence with the state government.

Against the backdrop of the BMC’s statement, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad posted the MFA petition for further hearing on August 22 to enable the civic body to file its affidavit in reply to the petition.