September 5, 2025: Mumbai’s Bharat Nagar in Bandra East has become the centre of a fierce redevelopment dispute, with residents accusing the authorities and the Adani-backed Budhpur Buildcon of carrying out unlawful demolitions.
Bharat Nagar, spread across 44 acres and divided into 22 societies within the Bandra Kurla Complex, has long been a coveted site for developers. Redevelopment attempts began in 1996 with Shyamkaran Enterprises, later passed to HDIL in 2006, and finally to Budhpur Buildcon. The latest clearance drives have sparked strong protests from residents, who allege violations of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971.
Community groups argue they are being wrongly categorised as slum dwellers under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), instead of tenants of a Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) society. They point to MHADA allotment letters dating back to 1975 and decades of rent payments as proof of legal tenancy.
The conflict follows a Supreme Court directive in January 2025, which asked the Bombay High Court to rule independently on whether residents fall under Regulation 33(5) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), which grants larger 580 sq ft homes to MHADA tenants, or Regulation 33(10), which offers smaller 269 sq ft units to slum dwellers.
Residents also claim that a 2018 state government gazette recognised Bharat Nagar as a MHADA layout, undermining the SRA’s jurisdiction. They accuse the developer of leveraging financial and political clout to push through demolitions, affecting more than 3,000 households.
MHADA has reportedly submitted a proposal to the state government supporting redevelopment under Regulation 33(5), even as several plots face demolition. Activists argue the ongoing displacement reflects a broader pattern of contested redevelopment across Mumbai.
Source: The Wire
