Navi Mumbai News: Bombay High Court Orders Demolition Of Five Illegal Buildings In Uran; Criticises Authorities' Collusion With CIDCO

Navi Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has criticized the authorities for their role in allowing illegal constructions in Uran, specifically ordering the demolition of a complex with five illegally constructed buildings in Uran's Chanje village within four weeks.

The court highlighted compelling evidence of collusion between property developers and officials from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), despite repeated complaints from local residents. Chanje village, recently benefiting from improved connectivity following the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link's inauguration, has faced ongoing construction issues.

On June 20, Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata highlighted the authorities' neglect of complaints about illegal buildings. Landowner Vivek Deshmukh and developer Vinayak Developers appealed to the Supreme Court, which issued an interim stay on the demolition order, stating no eviction could happen without its approval.

Resident petitioners Meenanath Patil and Vijay Jadhav claimed construction began in 2013 with an NOC, despite the developers knowing Cidco approval was needed, causing access issues to their homes.

CIDCO inspected the site in 2014 and issued a notice for unauthorized structures under the MRTP Act. An FIR was filed in 2016 against developers for illegal construction. Despite this, construction continued, leading to allegations of CIDCO's complacency. CIDCO's lawyer referenced an affidavit from August 2024 confirming illegal occupancy. A regularization application from developers was rejected in January.

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The High Court criticised CIDCO for negligence and weak enforcement, leading to unauthorised structures that harm buyers. It noted buyers' imprudence in verifying property legality but directed their recourse against developers. The court mandated action against responsible government officers and set aside a civil judge's order maintaining the status quo.