The BMC’s proposal, tabled on the civic improvement committee, stated that the request for changing the reservation of the plot was submitted by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which maintained that the aforementioned land had originally been earmarked as a Convention Complex under the Bandra Reclamation layout approved in 1983.

However, while preparing DP-2034, the plot was redesignated as a playground because a football ground existed on the site at the time.

On Friday,Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray posted on social media site X, criticising the move.

“A contractor will get his money, a builder will get location benefits and the convention centre will get a BJP leader’s name,” Aaditya’s post read.

Aaditya who is also the president of Mumbai District Football Association, stated that this ground has hosted multiple football tournaments each year and at present, the association is being barred from using this ground owing to change in reservation.

“As the Mumbai Football Association, of course we will now have to pay to use other grounds. The core issue is, taking away playgrounds from the youth, taking away grounds from associations and then debating over the future of the game is pointless,” his post read.

Inaugurated in 2018, the Neville D’Souza Football Ground is Mumbai’s few dedicated football venues. Located at Bandra Reclamation, it was built to address the city’s long-standing shortage of quality football infrastructure and has become a key centre for domestic football since its inauguration.

The ground was constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority (MMRDA) in the lines of FIFA’s standards of constructing artificial turfs and was open for usage the year later. It has been named after former Indian footballer Neville D’Souza, who is the first Asian player to score a hat-trick in the Asian games.

At present, the club provides a seating capacity of 5,000 people.

Meanwhile speaking on the issue, a senior civic official said that the land originally is being owned by the MHADA.

“In the original reservation the plot is marked for a public convention centre only. The changing in reservation is being done on the basis of MHADA’s request because unless the reservation of the plot is being changed the administration will not be able to use it for any other intention. The convention centre will be a public facility and a portion of that facility will be reserved for an open space as well,” an official said.

According to the planning department’s note, the Bandra Reclamation area was previously part of the Bandra-Kurla Complex notified area before being transferred to the BMC’s planning jurisdiction.

Officials also stated that since there is no convention or exhibition facility in the surrounding locality, it strengthen the case for restoring such a public-use reservation.