The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has told the Bombay High Court that the Mumbai Football Association (MFA) has no permanent legal right over the Neville D’Souza football ground at Bandra Reclamation.
In an affidavit filed before the court, Mhada said the MFA had received only temporary and conditional permission to use the 8,450-square-metre plot, and that the last such permission expired in September 2024.
The authority described the MFA’s challenge to a proposed change in the plot’s reservation as “misconceived, premature and not maintainable”. It argued that the association was seeking to challenge internal administrative communication and an initial planning proposal even though no final modification to the Development Plan had been approved by the state government.
Dispute Over Land Reservation
The Mhada-owned plot was originally reserved in 1983 for a convention and trade fair centre. Around 15 years ago, it was temporarily leased to the MFA. Since a football ground was already present, the BMC subsequently identified the site as a recreation ground under DP 2034.
In November 2025, Mhada wrote to the BMC seeking restoration of the original reservation. Subsequently, in May this year, the BMC’s Improvements Committee recommended altering the reservation in the revised DP 2034.
The development prompted the MFA to approach the High Court through senior advocate Zal Andhyarujina, along with counsels Akshay Doctor, Pradeep Mane and Anoj Menon.
During a hearing on August 10, the BMC sought additional time to file its affidavit and orally assured the court that the existing status quo would be maintained. The MFA later informed the court that the BMC general body proceeded with the proposal on August 18 despite the assurance, and sought an urgent hearing.
Mhada Defends Its Position
Mhada said the permission granted to the MFA was specifically time-bound and subject to conditions, and that the association could not claim continued occupation “merely because it had earlier been granted temporary permissions”.
According to the affidavit, the final permission was valid from September 22, 2019, to September 21, 2024.
“The suitability, necessity and planning desirability of any such reservation are matters for the competent planning authority and state government to consider in accordance with law,” the housing authority said.
Mhada further clarified that its November 2025 communication was only a request and did not constitute a final statutory decision.
It added that any formal alteration to the reservation would have to follow the procedure prescribed under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.
The BMC has earlier informed the court that it has neither finally removed the playground reservation nor approved conversion of the land into a convention or exhibition centre.
Source: Hindustan Times
