Mumbai: BMC Plans Licence Fee For Sports Turfs On Civic Land, 1-Year Amnesty For Unauthorised Operators

Mumbai, September 19, 2026 - The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to introduce a licence fee for sports turfs and cricket pitches on civic land, as part of an effort to regulate the commercial use of municipal properties. The proposed policy aims to ensure that any revenue generated from these turfs is shared with the city's coffers.

Under the new rules, operators would be required to pay an annual fee based on one per cent of the land rate for the turf area, as per the Ready Reckoner rates at the time of approval and renewal. The BMC Estates Department, which manages 4,177 leased plots ranging from 30 to 999 years, including perpetual leases, will enforce these rules.

To be permitted, sports turfs must adhere to the terms outlined in the original lease, Development Plan, and Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034. Permitted sports turfs can only be constructed on eligible BMC leasehold land, such as Vacant Land Tenancy (VLT) plots, without any permanent, covered, or RCC structures.

Applicants seeking a licence will need to provide layout plans, a stability certificate, PAN/GST details, lease or third-party agreement, and a registered undertaking. Third-party operators must also furnish the lessee’s No-Objection Certificate (NOC). Those operating unauthorised sports turfs will face a one-year amnesty window, during which they can pay 40 per cent of the licence fee. The initial approval will only be 60 per cent of the calculated fee, subject to the Municipal Commissioner's approval.

Permissions granted will be valid for one or three years, and any violations could lead to the immediate removal of the sports turf, at the applicant's expense, without any refund. Additionally, unauthorised turfs failing to obtain permission within the one-year window will have to face a penalty equivalent to five times the applicable Turf Licence Fee. The BMC plans to eventually move all applications, approvals, payments, and renewals to an online platform.