After a prolonged legal battle spanning two decades, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has successfully reclaimed an eight-acre plot in Juhu from a private builder. The prime parcel of land, located opposite Ritambhara College, holds an estimated market value of approximately Rs 2,000 crore. The reclamation marks a significant victory for regulatory authorities in Mumbai’s ongoing efforts to safeguard public land from unauthorized encroachments and commercial exploitation.
Legal Struggles and Possession Delays
Mhada had initially taken ‘paper possession’ of the plot in 2022, but a stay order issued by the Bombay High Court (HC) prevented physical takeover. The builder, who was redeveloping Loknayak Nagar, New Kapaswadi, and Shivaji Nagar slums, had reportedly included the 18,000-square-meter open plot in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project without proper justification. Investigations later revealed that the plot had never been encroached upon by slums, and fraudulent entries had been made in SRA records to facilitate its unauthorized use.
The issue gained momentum after local BJP MLA Ameet Satam lodged complaints with Mhada and the SRA, alleging that the builder had concretized the land and was leasing it for commercial events. A collaborative effort involving Mhada, the Juhu Vile Parle Development Federation, and architect P.K. Das helped establish that no slum structures had historically existed on the site. This crucial evidence, supported by satellite imagery, ultimately played a pivotal role in exposing discrepancies in SRA documentation and strengthening Mhada’s claim to the land.
Court Ruling and Demolition of Illegal Structures
Following a recent ruling by the Bombay HC that lifted the stay on the encroachment removal process, Mhada swiftly moved to demolish unauthorized structures on the plot. With physical possession now secured, the agency has erected official signboards to prevent further unauthorized use of the land. This decisive action is seen as a critical step in preventing similar land misappropriations in Mumbai’s high-value real estate zones.
A Landmark Victory Against Land Misuse
The successful reclamation of the Juhu plot is being hailed as a collective victory for residents, activists, and urban planners who have long campaigned against land misappropriation. With rising cases of public land being diverted for unauthorized private use under the guise of rehabilitation projects, this case sets an important precedent for future land recovery efforts.
Despite these developments, the builder, Kiran Hemani of Bombay Slum Redevelopment Corporation, has refuted Mhada’s claims in the past but has remained unavailable for comments following the latest court ruling.
As Mumbai continues to grapple with urban expansion and land scarcity, Mhada’s successful takeover of this high-value plot underscores the need for stringent monitoring and legal vigilance in protecting public assets from unauthorized encroachments and commercial exploitation