Bombay HC to hear plea against Bandra football ground conversion

The Bombay High Court will hear on Thursday a petition challenging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) proposal to convert the Neville D'Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation into a convention centre. The matter was mentioned before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Akshay Doctor by senior advocate Zal Andhyarunjina, representing the Mumbai Football Association. The petitioner said the BMC took the decision despite an understanding at the August 10 hearing that no steps would be taken. The judges said they would deal with it if they find the decision was not appropriate.

The petition states the move to change the reservation from a playground to a convention complex will take away one of the city's key football venues, and that no notice was issued to the Association, which has used the ground for over 15 years under permissions from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). Meanwhile, Times of India reports that an MHADA official cited the need to monetise the ground for a consistent revenue stream. The plan has drawn opposition from citizens and activists over the loss of open space. The matter now awaits the state urban development department's final sanction.