The city has 150 padel courts spread across 40 venues.
As of now, there are about 400-500 padel courts set up across the country, with 150 courts across 40 venues in Mumbai.
Prerna Yadav from Urban Design Research Institute says, “Accessibility in sports is necessary when Mumbai already has land constraints”. MUMBAI: In a city where every square foot is fiercely contested, even recreation must learn to adapt. As Mumbai’s playgrounds shrink and open spaces become increasingly scarce, padel is finding room to flourish. The fast-paced racquet sport that is a mix of tennis and squash, played on compact enclosed courts, is drawing a growing following among young professionals, fitness enthusiasts and groups looking for an activity that combines sport, socialising and leisure. Being both an outdoor and indoor sport, finding locations to set up courts hasn’t been all that difficult. At the heart of Powai’s Hiranandani district, in their Business Park, a court has been set up. Lower Parel’s Phoenix Palladium became India’s largest integrated rooftop racquet sport hub. Yet, not everyone sees padel’s rise as an unequivocal success story. Urban planning critics argue that the sport’s growing footprint also highlights deeper inequalities in access to recreation. playing the sport often comes at a premium, with court rentals, memberships and equipment costs placing it beyond the reach of large sections of the city’s population While padel courts require less land than many traditional sports facilities.