BMC Demolishes 169 Illegal Structures in Worli Amid Land-Grab Allegations

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday demolished 169 unauthorized structures in Madraswadi, adjacent to the Dharamveer Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road Project and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road in Worli. The demolition drive was carried out by the G South ward under the supervision of additional municipal commissioner (City) Ashwini Joshi, following directions from municipal commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagrani.

At first glance, the constructions appeared to be routine encroachments. However, activists have alleged that they may have been part of a larger land-grab attempt to gain access to high-value real estate along Mumbai’s western seafront.

In a report published on March 28, HT had highlighted the rise of unauthorized structures not only in Madraswadi but also in Markandeshwar Nagar and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Nagar — many of which came up around the time the first phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road was nearing completion.

Civic activist Santosh Daundkar, who alerted the BMC’s coastal road department and the city collector, claimed that certain builders were behind the effort to get these illegal occupants recognized as Project Affected Persons (PAPs).

“The modus operandi is to get these slum-dwellers listed as PAPs of the coastal road project and later, through forged documents, show them as eligible for slum rehabilitation,” said Daundkar. “This would ultimately allow builders to gain access to reclaimed land for real-estate projects.”

In his letter dated March 27, Daundkar also flagged that the encroachments were obstructing ongoing sewer line work behind the newly constructed retaining wall in Madraswadi and Markandeshwar Nagar. “These structures came up after the wall was built,” he noted, terming them not just violations of civic norms but also impediments to key infrastructure work.

The ₹14,000-crore Mumbai Coastal Road Project — an eight-lane sea link connecting Marine Lines to Bandra West — has reclaimed around 70 hectares from the Arabian Sea. While the BMC has earmarked this reclaimed space for public and open use, its prime location has drawn speculative interests, intensifying competition for access to the land.

Friday’s demolition was part of the civic body’s effort to enforce regulations and safeguard the project’s integrity. Around 35 BMC personnel, supported by Worli police and equipped with heavy machinery, carried out the operation.

According to the BMC, the demolished structures had also contributed to waterlogging in the area during the monsoon. Their removal, officials said, forms part of a wider initiative to maintain civic order and ensure smooth progress of major infrastructure works.