Bombay HC Puts Hold on BMC’s Move to Change Neville D’Souza Ground Reservation

by Chandler D'silva August 20, 2026

The Bombay High Court has stepped in to protect Mumbai’s iconic Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation, directing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) not to take any further steps to change the reservation of the football ground until further orders.

The development comes after the BMC General Body recently approved a proposal to change the 8,450-square-metre plot’s reservation from a playground to an exhibition and convention centre. The decision had faced strong opposition from Mumbai’s football fraternity, residents and activists, who argued that the ground is an important part of the city’s sporting ecosystem.

The Mumbai Football Association (MFA) had approached the High Court challenging the proposed change, arguing that losing the venue would seriously affect football in the city. The association has highlighted the ground’s importance for organised football, with the facility hosting hundreds of clubs, youth players and competitions every year.

The controversy intensified after the BMC approved the reservation change despite an earlier assurance given before the High Court that no decision would be taken before the matter was heard. The court expressed concern over the handling of that undertaking and has now ordered the civic body to keep further action on the proposal on hold.

The BMC, meanwhile, has maintained that the proposal originated from MHADA, which pointed to the site’s original planning history. According to civic officials, the land was earmarked for a convention complex under the Bandra Reclamation layout approved in 1983, although it was subsequently marked as a playground and has been used extensively for football.

The proposed conversion has also attracted political opposition, with representatives from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) calling for the ground to remain dedicated to sports and recreation. Footballers, residents and supporters have also held protests urging authorities to preserve the facility.

For Mumbai’s football community, the High Court’s intervention provides temporary relief in a battle that has become much bigger than one football ground. Neville D’Souza Ground has long served as an important playing and development space for footballers across the city, and its future has now become a key issue in the wider debate over protecting Mumbai’s shrinking sporting and open spaces.

The matter will continue before the Bombay High Court, with the court having directed that no further steps be taken regarding the proposed reservation change until further orders.

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