July 12, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed the development of a dedicated indoor event venue at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse to address the demand for year-round event hosting facilities. The plan, discussed at a high-level meeting held on Tuesday evening at the BMC headquarters, involves developing a 15-acre parcel near the horse stables to facilitate closed-door cultural, musical, and corporate events.
A civic official familiar with the discussions said, “While a portion of the open space is currently rented out during summer and winter, hosting events during the monsoon months is not preferred.” The push for a covered venue follows a significant revenue boost—BMC earned an additional Rs 7.5 crore from major events held at the racecourse over the past year.
Out of the total 212.7-acre racecourse land, BMC officially took over 120.1 acres on July 2, 2024, including general open spaces and the ground near the stables. The remaining 92.6 acres have been leased back to the Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd for 30 years, beginning June 1, 2023.
During the meeting, civic officials were also directed to begin mapping all underground utilities such as stormwater drains, sewer lines, and water pipelines to facilitate future construction without interfering with horse racing activities. Portions of the proposed infrastructure may be built one level below ground.
Representatives from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd were present to discuss integration with the upcoming Acharya Atre Chowk Metro Line 3 station via a pedestrian tunnel. The design team, led by architect Hafeez Contractor, also participated, emphasizing that the 120-acre space will remain open and horse racing activities will remain unaffected. Enhancements to the existing parking infrastructure are also on the agenda, with a follow-up meeting scheduled soon.
Source: Prop News Time
