August 16, 2025: The Bombay High Court on Thursday reprimanded a group of residents from the Jaku Club slum pocket in Santacruz East for obstructing the redevelopment of their settlement for nearly four years. The court directed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to proceed with eviction under police protection and vacate the site within two weeks.
“Any defiance to the rule of law must be dealt with an iron hand so that the faith of the people in the judicial system is maintained,” observed the division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Dr Neela Gokhale. The ruling came while upholding a petition filed by Siddhivinayak Co-operative Housing Society, a proposed society formed by slum dwellers, along with Arihant Construction, the appointed developer.
The petition sought enforcement of SRA’s order dated February 16, 2024 and eviction notices issued on March 19, 2024 under the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971. The court warned that any obstruction to its directives would amount to interference with the administration of justice.
The Jaku Club settlement, declared a slum in 1977, spans seven plots and houses 362 families. Of these, 271 were deemed eligible for free rehabilitation when the project was granted a commencement certificate in September 2021. Around 152 families have already vacated after receiving monthly rent of Rs 17,000, while the developer has deposited more than Rs 6.5 crore with the SRA for transit rents.
Despite repeated court rulings, including a Supreme Court dismissal in September 2024, some residents continued to stall eviction through petitions, which the bench described as an “abuse of judicial process.” The judges also noted reports of intimidation faced by the SRA, and ordered Vakola police to provide full assistance in clearing the site within two weeks.
Source: Hindustan Times
