MUMBAI: After 20 years, Mhada has finally taken over an 8-acre Juhu plot from a private builder and cleared unauthorised structures from it. Officials said the demolition of illegal structures was carried out after Bombay HC recently vacated a stay on removing encroachments from the site.
The plot is located in a prime area opposite Ritambhara College, and its market value is said to be around Rs 2,000 crore. In 2022, Mhada took ‘paper possession’ of the plot, but there was an HC stay on the possession notice and the plot wasn’t physically handed over to the agency.
Local BJP MLA Ameet Satam had complained to Mhada and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) that the builder redeveloping Loknayak Nagar, New Kapaswadi, and Shivaji Nagar slums had concretised the 18,000sqm plot and was converting it into a space to host commercial events. In 2022, Mhada revoked the no-objection certificate for an SRA project after it was revealed that a massive open plot, which was not encroached upon, was included in it.
“The plot was in the builder’s possession for the last 20 years. In 2021, we held a joint meeting with Mhada, Juhu Vile Parle Development Federation and architect P K Das. We proved on paper that there was never any slum on that land by procuring satellite images and also exposed fraudulent entries in SRA documents. Mhada took paper possession, but before it could take physical possession, the builder approached HC and secured a stay on the same,” said Satam.
After having taken physical possession of the land, Mhada has erected its board on it to prevent it from being usurped, he said. “This is a collective and significant victory for residents and architects.,” Satam said. “This was a mega land scam in the making. Mhada taking over the land is a big victory for us. Despite the possession notice, the builder rented out the space for commercial events.”
The builder, Kiran Hemani of Bombay Slum Redevelopment Corporation, had earlier said Mhada’s claims were baseless but did not respond to a query from TOI on Sunday.
