1 day ago
BMC Approves ₹20 Crore Payment for Film City Land
The BMC is building a road tunnel project through part of Film City.
Some places used for filming have been disrupted or taken over while the work happens.
Film City earns money by renting its grounds for movie shoots.
Its corporation says the project could cause large losses.
The BMC plans to pay ₹20 crore for temporary filming grounds.
Some corporators asked why the city should pay for a public road project.
A civic official said the payment is compensation for lost film-shooting income, not a way to make money.
The Standing Committee approved the payment.
The BMC will pay Film City Corporation ₹20 crore for land temporarily used by the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project.
The project’s 1.6-kilometre alignment passes through Film City, disrupting several shooting grounds and sets.
Film City Corporation estimated potential losses of ₹174.12 crore from the disruption to its shooting operations.
The BMC’s payment will fund temporary grounds, including Josh Maidan and Joker Maidan, through March 2029.
After corporators questioned the payment, Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakane said it compensated for lost shooting revenue; the Standing Committee approved it.
- Who
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Film City Corporation and members of the BMC Standing Committee.
- What
- The Standing Committee approved a ₹20 crore payment for temporary filming grounds while the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project uses Film City land.
- Where
- Film City in Mumbai, along the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road alignment.
- When
- The report is dated October 3, 2026; the temporary grounds are planned through March 2029.
- Why
- The payment is intended to compensate for disrupted shooting grounds and lost film-shooting revenue.
Questioning the Payment
Supporting Compensation
Who should bear the cost?
Questioning the Payment
Corporators including Yamini Jadhav, Saeeda Khan and Ashraf Azmi questioned why the BMC should pay compensation for a public infrastructure project; Khan also cited Film City's subsidised government land.
Supporting Compensation
Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakane said Film City relies on shooting rentals and the project had displaced shooting grounds and sets, causing losses.
Purpose of the ₹20 crore
Questioning the Payment
The corporators questioned the need for the civic body to pay rent or compensation to Film City.
Supporting Compensation
Dhakane described the payment as compensation for lost revenue, rather than an income-generating payment, and said regional-language films, particularly Marathi films, benefit from Film City's shooting revenues.
Key facts
- Payment approved
- ₹20 crore
- Estimated potential Film City losses
- ₹174.12 crore
- Project
- Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) twin-tunnel project
- Film City alignment
- 1.6 kilometres
- Temporary grounds
- Josh Maidan and Joker Maidan
- Temporary-ground period
- Through March 2029
- Tunnel design
- Two three-lane tunnels connecting Goregaon East and Mulund West beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Sources
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