Mumbai, May 10: The Lokhandwala Joggers Park Association has strongly opposed an attempt by the Sanja Chulha Guru Ka Langar Trust to seek protection for an unauthorised gurudwara by approaching the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission—just days after the Bombay High Court directed its demolition.
The association, which had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against the structure, said the trust’s move violates the High Court’s order and amounts to contempt.
On May 2, the Bombay High Court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure the demolition of the gurudwara inside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Joggers Park, Andheri West, if it is not vacated within two weeks.
The order followed a PIL by five members of the 650-strong park association, who alleged that a security cabin inside the park was illegally modified into a religious structure with a prayer room, kitchen, and loudspeakers.
BMC counsel Milind Sathe told a bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M.S. Karnik that the civic body had served a notice under Section 351 and passed a demolition order on May 29, 2024, after hearing the trust. “Parts of the structure are illegal. Prayer room remains. If they don’t demolish it in two weeks, we will demolish it,” Sathe said.
Despite the court order, the trust appealed to the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission. A site inspection was carried out on May 8 by commission member Wasim Burhan, who remarked, “It is a religious structure and we do not see why it should be a problem. The trust claims it is not illegal. The chairman will take the final decision.”
Trust members argue that the 300 sq ft structure was built with support from former MLA Baldev Khosa and is not illegal. “Guru Granth Sahib has been installed and it is used only as a prayer room. We do not run a kitchen or encroach on the jogging track,” a trust member said.
However, association lawyer Mittal responded, “Joggers Park is public land owned by BMC and marked as a DP Road. Supreme Court rulings clearly prohibit religious structures on public land. This appeal is against the High Court’s clear directive and cannot be entertained.”
The High Court has given the trust until mid-May to vacate the premises, failing which the BMC is duty-bound to demolish the structure.
