September 29, 2025: The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to establish a clear mechanism to identify illegal occupants in slum redevelopment schemes, offering long-awaited relief to eligible dwellers unlawfully denied their rehabilitation tenements.
In an order dated September 8, a bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Aarati Sathe instructed the State Urban Development Department’s principal secretary to work alongside the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA) to develop a system that safeguards the rights of rightful beneficiaries.
The judges observed that eligible residents are often deprived of their due tenements not only by unscrupulous builders but also by lapses among ground-level SRA officials. “We find that the CEO of the SRA is, on many occasions, not informed of several illegalities taking place at the ground level, with havoc created by officials lower in the hierarchy,” the court noted, adding that such staff must be identified and held personally accountable.
The bench further stressed that the CEO should pinpoint officials who had breached their duties, thereby violating citizens’ fundamental rights, including equality, life, liberty, and property. The state has been asked to ensure strict compliance with these directions to guarantee that eligible slum residents are not denied their rightful homes.
The order came during a compliance hearing where the court was informed that a petitioner had finally been allotted a shop in a Bandra East SRA project after it was reclaimed from an illegal occupant. The petitioner was also awarded over Rs 34 lakh in transit rent arrears and interest. However, he complained that the shop handed over was smaller than his entitlement. The court directed the SRA to take corrective measures and adjourned the matter for further hearing in four weeks.
Source: Times Of India
