A controversy has erupted in Mumbai after citizens alleged that public roads near the MMRDA Grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) were closed ahead of the Enrique Iglesias live concert scheduled at the venue. A post on social media platform X sparked public debate over the legality and inconvenience caused by the road closure.
The viral post read, “ENRIQUE IGLESIAS Live In Concert is organised on MMRDA Ground BKC next to Mumbai University Kalina Campus. But concert management has closed both sides of the public road. Local citizens are told to take a long route to go to their residence. How is this concert allowed to close public property (road)?”
Questions Over Permission and Public Access
The post further questioned whether the concert organisers had obtained official permission to close public roads and use civic space for private events.
“If such permission is not given, MRTP Act should be registered for illegally capturing public property,” the user wrote, adding that an FIR should be filed against the organisers for allegedly misleading citizens by claiming that permissions were in place.
Residents from nearby areas, including BKC, Kalina, and Kurla, reported that barricades and tents had been set up, restricting vehicle movement on both sides of the connecting roads. Many locals expressed frustration at being forced to take longer routes to reach their homes, especially during peak traffic hours.
Civic and Police Clarification Awaited
As the post gained traction, citizens demanded that the Mumbai Police and the MMRDA clarify whether such closures were officially sanctioned. While concerts at the MMRDA Grounds are common, blocking adjoining public roads without prior notice or diversion planning has raised questions of public inconvenience and safety.
Officials from the MMRDA and the Bandra Traffic Division are yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
A Familiar Debate Over Use of Public Space
This incident has reignited the ongoing debate about private events occupying public infrastructure in Mumbai.
With international artists like Enrique Iglesias drawing massive crowds, authorities are now under pressure to balance event permissions with public access, ensuring that Mumbai’s entertainment does not come at the cost of everyday convenience.
