The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Improvement Committee has approved a proposal to remove the cinema reservation on the 1,005-sq-m Alexandra Cinema plot in Byculla-Nagpada, paving the way for residential development. The decision has drawn strong opposition from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators, who have warned that the move could set a precedent for changing land reservations on other closed cinemas across Mumbai.
105-Year-Old Cinema Shut Since 2007
Alexandra Cinema, once known for screening Hollywood films and English-language classics, shut down in 2007 and has remained unused for nearly two decades. The theatre building has deteriorated over the years, with the BMC citing its prolonged closure and the financial unviability of running the cinema as reasons for proposing a change in land use.
The proposal, based on a recommendation from the state Urban Development Department, was first placed before the Improvement Committee on August 12. It was passed on Thursday under Section 64(3A) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, which provides for deemed approval of civic proposals if the relevant committee does not decide on them within 45 days.
Opposition Warns of Precedent for Other Cinemas
Congress corporator Meher Mohsin Haider opposed the move, questioning why the cinema reservation had to be removed instead of exploring the possibility of rebuilding or modernising the theatre. She also sought details of all 119 cinema and theatre reservations under Mumbai’s Development Plan 2034, covering a combined area of 3,09,284.08 sq m.
Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Sachin Padwal also objected to the proposal, alleging that no serious efforts had been made to revive the cinema. Congress corporator Ashraf Azmi questioned the decision to remove the reservation when the property falls within the Kamathipura cluster redevelopment project.
Corporators from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) staged a walkout after the proposal was passed.
Residents’ Concerns Over Public Amenities
The Kamathipura Vikas Samiti has also opposed the conversion, urging the civic administration to retain the cinema and entertainment reservation. The committee has argued that the facility could provide recreational and entertainment space for residents following the ongoing cluster redevelopment in the area.
With the Improvement Committee’s approval, the proposal advances the process of changing the plot’s designated use from cinema to residential. The move has intensified concerns over the future of public amenities and the preservation of designated spaces in Mumbai’s redevelopment plans.
Source: Hindustan Times
