Mumbai to get Smart Turf Policy to regulate mushrooming artificial turf, box cricket grounds

To keep a check on private sporting turfs in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the first time approved a policy to regulate the mushrooming artificial turf and box-cricket grounds across Mumbai. The policy comes amid a rapid growth of artificial turfs in the city and at a time when a shortage of open recreational spaces has fuelled demand for privately operated sports facilities, with residents raising concerns over late-night games, noise and powerful floodlights.

Moved by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Tejinder Singh Tiwana, the resolution to implement the ‘Advanced Smart Turf Policy’ was cleared by the civic body. A draft proposal will now be formally prepared, which will later be tabled in the civic house for clearance.

What happens once it’s implemented? Once implemented, the proposal will likely bring more than 1,500 artificial turfs under a regulatory framework to monitor registration, bookings, safety compliance, operational hours, noise pollution, fire safety, and environmental compliance.