Mumbai: The need to monetise Neville D’Souza Football Ground in Bandra had pushed Mhada to seek “restoration” of its original reservation, said an official. The planning authority said it will await the state urban development (UD) department’s final sanction before proceeding with the process of conversion.“The proposed convention centre is being considered primarily with the objective of generating a consistent revenue stream for the project/authority,” Milind Borikar, chief officer, Mhada. “The authority is not yet in a position to comment in detail on the proposal as the matter is sub judice and until the land is formally made available.”Once the land parcel is formally handed over to Mhada, it plans to appoint a project management consultant to assess the demand and requirements for a convention centre in the area.The proposal for conversion, which was passed in the BMC House on Tuesday, has drawn opposition from citizens and raised concerns over the loss of an existing open recreational space. The plan has come under greater scrutiny given the ongoing debate over Mumbai’s shrinking public open spaces. Activists and citizens have questioned the need to convert a football ground when the city is already facing a shortage of accessible recreational spaces. All eyes are now on the UD department.
