It is official: Bandra’s Neville D’Souza football ground to make way for convention centre

3 min learnMumbaiUp to date: Aug 19, 2026 09:56 AM IST

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Company’s (BMC) basic physique on Tuesday night time cleared the proposal to alter the reservation of the enduring Neville D’Souza soccer floor in Bandra to a conference and exhibition centre.

The BMC cleared the proposal amid objection from the Opposition which raised considerations over town’s quick depleting open areas.

Inaugurated in 2018, the one among Mumbai’s few devoted soccer venues. In June, this 12 months, the civic enhancements committee cleared the proposal to alter the reservation.
Almost two months because the clearance, the chairperson of Enchancment Committee, Sandhya Doshi floated a proposal earlier than the civic basic physique the place Mayor Ritu Tawde on Tuesday night time cleared the transfer to alter the bottom’s reservation to make approach for a conference and exhibition centre.

Looking for the bottom’s safety, Congress corporator Raja Rahebar Khan stated that he grew up enjoying soccer on the Neville D’souza floor — which is related to over 200 soccer golf equipment.

“It is a essential house of the locality the place I grew up enjoying soccer since my childhood,” Raja Rahebar Khan, a neighborhood corporator stated, including, “If the data present that all the 5 hectares of plot within the space is reserved as a conference centre on the DP, then why are you singling out this 8,000 sq. metres of this soccer floor.”

Defending the change of reservation, Mayor Tawde stated that the proposal had already been mentioned inside the enchancment committee.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, town’s depleting open areas turned topic of debate with the Opposition calling for defense of Neville D’souza soccer floor.

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Nonetheless, the Mahayuti ruling alliance defended the change of reservation.

Swapana Mhatre, BJP corporator from ward 100 stated that the bottom had been initially reserved as a conference and exhibition centre by the MHADA. “Initially reserved as a conference centre, the bottom had fallen into a foul state owing to anti-social parts and the slums surrounding it. When guardian minister Ashish Shelar was the top of the soccer affiliation he seen its unhealthy state and determined to create a boundary wall. The BMC in its DP 2034 talked about that it must be a playground. Nonetheless, the MHADA had reserved it as a conference centre and the method to alter its reservation was by no means undertaken,” stated Mhatre, including {that a} new floor will probably be made accessible for footballers.

The civic physique’s clearance of the bottom reservation comes at the same time as the choice has drawn flak from throughout quarters together with soccer associations and native residents of the realm.

̌Earlier within the month, the Mumbai District Soccer Affiliation (MFA) additionally approached the Bombay Excessive Courtroom who’ve ordered the BMC in addition to the state authorities to file a reply by August 24.

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Specific’ Mumbai bureau. Whereas within the early phases of her profession, her targeted reporting on native governance and neighborhood welfare already demonstrates clear Experience and Trustworthiness in masking important civic points impacting Mumbai’s residents.
Experience & Authority (E-E-A-T)

Specialised Focus: Nayonika’s reporting is devoted to civic and neighborhood points, offering readers with extremely related, ground-level details about the performance and administration of India’s largest metropolitan space.

Core Protection Areas: Her articles spotlight a powerful give attention to the basic high quality of life and public security in Mumbai, together with:

Civic Infrastructure: Reviews on important failures and initiatives associated to public works, such because the recurring downside of unauthorized constructing collapses in Navi Mumbai, the development of latest infrastructure initiatives (just like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Hyperlink Highway and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the upkeep of important metropolis companies (e.g., manhole cowl theft).

City Governance & Disaster Administration: Supplies detailed protection of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company’s (BMC) response to main crises, significantly through the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public well being considerations like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public security incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Group Welfare & Rights: Reviews on key social points, together with the monetary assist scheme for individuals with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai’s hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the risks confronted by employees because of the continuation of guide scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers vital neighborhood tales, together with the restoration of British-era fountains and the historical past of establishments just like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, displaying a breadth of curiosity past pure administration.

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