The lease of a key land parcel held by the Mumbai Hockey Association (MHA) near Churchgate was officially cancelled by the Maharashtra state government, as confirmed through a government resolution (GR) issued earlier this week. The decision was taken after the association was found to have failed to meet the purpose for which the land had originally been allotted.
The 196,138-square-foot plot, located adjacent to Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, had served as the primary ground for hockey training and events in the city for decades. It had been allotted to the MHA with the specific intention of developing an international-level hockey academy. However, this objective was reportedly never fulfilled, prompting the sports department to initiate steps to reclaim the land. The cancellation was undertaken after a report was submitted by the revenue department, in which it was highlighted that the association had not acted on the development conditions set out in the original agreement. It was stated by officials in the sports department that the land had been sanctioned for a specialised project which remained unrealised, and as a result, the repossession was deemed necessary.
Leaders of the Mumbai Hockey Association were reportedly not informed in advance. MHA President Mangha Singh Bakshi was said to be unaware of the development, while Secretary Ram Singh Rathor was reported to have stated that no official copy of the government resolution had been received. Rathor had added that a response would only be issued once the official details had been examined. Additional Chief Secretary for Sports, Anil Diggikar, was not available for comment at the time. This recent cancellation is not the first instance of controversy surrounding the plot. In the past, the state government had attempted to revoke the lease, which had led to legal proceedings initiated by MHA in order to retain its hold over the land.
Alongside the land dispute, MHA has faced institutional setbacks over the years. A significant development took place when the association’s affiliation with Hockey India was terminated due to the implementation of the “one-state-one-association” policy. Under this policy, Hockey Maharashtra was recognised as the official governing body for the state. Subsequently, two temporary committees—Hockey Mumbai City and Hockey Mumbai Suburb—were created to manage the sport within the city limits. As a result of these changes, the Mumbai Hockey Association has seen a decline in both influence and access to infrastructure. With the cancellation of the lease now confirmed, concerns have been raised over the future of hockey in the city and the preservation of historic sports venues.
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