Overview
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Improvements Committee approved MHADA's proposal to delete the site's sports and playground reservations and redesignate about 8,450 sq m as an exhibition/convention centre.
- The committee action, which was cleared on June 24, now moves to the BMC General Body where all elected corporators and nominated members will vote on the final change expected in the first week of July.
- Football clubs, former national players, the Mumbai Football Association and residents have staged protests, launched petitions and sought meetings with the chief minister to block the conversion and press for lease renewal.
- Supporters of the redesignation, including MHADA officials and a BJP corporator, say the change restores the plot's original 1983 reservation and that MHADA as owner can seek amendments to land use.
- Local planners and opponents point to Mumbai's severe shortage of public open space—about 0.87 sq m per person in civic records—and warn the switch would reduce scarce playing fields and limit youth access to sport.